Past's Secrets
by Kaiju Moth
Summary: KOTORAU: Two years after the Star Forge, an ancient Jedi secret emerges: one that could mean the death of all Jedi. With Darth Nihilus seeeking it, Revan,the Exile, and allies must find it first before it falls into the wrong hands...Complete!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I am not George Lucas. I do not own Star Wars or KOTOR, though it would be sweet if I did.

This is a "what if" story. What if Revan had never left for the unknown regions and instead found a threat right in the heart of the Republic? Don't worry, you'll be seeing characters from both KOTOR I & II.

**Past's Secrets**

Prologue

Dantooine: 1000 years before the events of KOTOR

_Five figures walked along the dim corridor. One walked in front, two walked in the middle, and two behind. In the middle were a Jedi and a figure covered in dark hooded robes. The other three, Jedi also, were leading the two in the middle down the hallway. The one in the front looked back and spoke to the rest._

_"Move along now. We must not keep the council waiting."_

_"I believe the council will not perish if they must wait a few seconds longer," replied the Jedi in the middle._

_"Hold your tongue, Knight Arturus. Considering the amount of trouble you are in, you would do well to rid yourself of that attitude."_

_The Jedi in the middle lowered his head but glanced up again, this time at the dark hooded figure on his right. The figure's hands were bound in chains which made a soft clinking sound as they proceeded. He spoke again, but this time to all three of his captors._

_"I fail to see why you must keep him in chains. He is not dangerous. He has never harmed a soul."_

_One of the Jedi to his rear spoke up. "His chains are not our doing. The council was unsure of this thing's…personality. They could not take the chance of it harming anyone."_

_"For the last time, he is not dangerous! When will you finally realize that?"_

_"Father, where are we going?" asked the figure in a raspy, almost inhuman voice._

_"Don't be afraid. We are going to see the council," replied Arturus to the figure._

_"We are here." The small crowd arrived at a large doorway. Flanking the doorway stood two other Jedi, one female and a male. _

_"The council is waiting for you inside," said the female Jedi. After this they opened the doors and proceeded into a large room illuminated by several large windows and lamps floating near the ceiling. Lining the rear wall were seven large chairs, all in which sat a Jedi in blue robes – the high council. _

_In the middle sat a green Twi'lek. When the five stopped in the middle of the room he spoke to the three captors. "Leave us." _

_The three turned around and left. Upon exiting they closed the large doors, leaving Arturus and the mysterious figure alone with the council. Arturus bowed before the council in typical Jedi fashion. _

_"Arise," commanded the green Twi'lek. "Knight Arturus, do you know the reason why you were summoned here?"_

_Arturus looked at him then at his cloaked companion. "Because of him, Master Trusk?" he asked, pointing at the figure. _

_"Exactly. The council and I do not know what to make of your little "creation", but tell us, what in the force motivated you to commit such an… act?" Master Evad, a female human, cut in._

_"Have you no judgment in your actions? Do you not realize the consequences that would occur if this thing ever fell into the hands of the S—"_

_"Let him speak, Master Evad. I feel he has much to say," commanded Trusk._

_Arturus glanced nervously at the council as if he was at a loss for words but quickly regained his composure. "I felt that by doing so I would be able to serve the greater good. I wanted to know more about the force…to understand it. I wanted to know just to what extent it could be controlled and how it could be used. When I thought of the force and how it acts through all living things, I asked myself, what if it could be used to create a living thing?"_

_This time Master Volo, a male human, yelled at him. "So you decided to act as if you were the force itself? Such pride, such arrogance! This man is already on the path to the dark side!"_

_A blue-robed Selkath silenced Volo, speaking in his deep guttural language. "Do not be so quick to accuse, Volo." He turned his attention to Arturus. "Knight Arturus, you have been one of our most faithful servants. We have known you almost your whole life. We know that you serve the light, and that you would only do such a thing to help others. Am I right, Arturus?" _

_"Yes, Master Darius! I thought by doing this I would serve the greater good!"_

_"But how in the galaxy did you do it?" asked Master Evad._

_"I… it took me years to accomplish. For years I meditated and studied the force. I sought to gain more control over it. I kept my plans a secret, so as not to arouse suspicion. Not that I intended to do something evil, but I merely wanted to avoid attention before I completed my experiment." _

_"Such techniques are also used by the Sith, Knight Arturus," hissed Master Volo, but Master Trusk silenced him._

_"Let him continue."_

_Arturus resumed his speech. "When he was done, I found out that not only was he alive, but he could feel the force, just like a Jedi."_

_"You mean this creature can wield the force?" asked Darius. _

_"He can, though he does not know how to use it. Please, I beg you, do not kill him. He has done nothing wrong. Exile me from the order if you wish!" The council sat in deep thought over his request, but Arturus knew his words were in vain. _

_"Knight Arturus," said Trusk solemnly, "we know that your intentions were noble. But this creature cannot be allowed to live. Have you ever stopped to think about what would happen if this fell into the hands of the Sith? Can you even begin to realize the power they would wield?" _

_Even Arturus could not argue with this, but he could not bear to see his creation destroyed. "There must be another way…"_

_"There is no other way, Arturus. We cannot hide him, and we most certainly cannot let him walk freely. We have no choice. The risks are too great. You know this."_

_Arturus did. Deep down he knew this was the right decision, but he could not bear to face it. _

_"Some secrets are not meant to be revealed Arturus, and there is power that is not meant to be wielded. We do not want to destroy him, but it is the only way." _

_Arturus nodded, tears falling from his eyes. He turned to the creature who had been listening with increasing nervousness. "I am sorry, but this must be done." He turned to the council. "I only ask of you, do not destroy his form. Treat him as you would a human."_

_"We will certainly do as you ask, Arturus," replied Trusk. "We must not delay, however. This must be done now." The council all moved toward the creature, preparing to cut it off from the force. _

_"Father, no!" protested the creature with desperation. _

_"Do not resist them, I command you! We have no choice. I am sorry." The creature gazed downward and knelt down before the council in submission, awaiting its sentence. The council surrounded the creature and slowly raised their hands toward it. Arturus could feel them draining the force from its body. He could barely control himself and felt tears rolling down his face. It was probably the creature's silence that hurt him most. In a few moments, the deed was done, and the creature fell to the floor in a lifeless heap._


	2. Chapter 1: Reunions

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 1: Reunions

Dantooine: 1000 years later…2 years after the battle on the Star Forge

The young man sat on a hilltop underneath a tree, overlooking the landscape. He had tan skin, black hair that almost reached down to his eyes, and strong features that were unbecoming of a Jedi Consular. Beyond him lay a sprawling, crumbling edifice – the ruins of the Jedi academy.

He came to this spot often to think and meditate. Though he did not destroy the academy, it served as a gloomy reminder to him of the destruction he caused as the Dark Lord of the Sith. His memories had been slowly returning ever since the Star Forge, although much was still forgotten. Nevertheless, Revan had sworn to himself that he would never again fall to the dark side. For the sake of the Republic, the Jedi, and the one he loved the most, he would remain faithful to the light.

Ever since the death of Malak and the defeat of the Sith, Revan had worked with the Republic and the Jedi to rebuild what had been destroyed in the Civil War. As he sat there staring at the ruined enclave a voice startled him from behind.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" asked a soft, feminine voice.

Revan spun around and the person he saw almost made him jump out of his skin.

"Bastila!"

He had barely stood up before she leapt into his arms and held him in a tight embrace, and he instantly hugged her back. When he finally pulled away Bastila pulled him down into a long, passionate kiss that Revan wanted to last forever. When they finally broke apart, Revan just stared down into those deep, ocean blue eyes he had grown to love. He could feel her love flowing into him through the bond they shared.

"I… I missed you, Bastila," he said softly.

"I missed you too, Revan." It had almost been six months since the two had seen or even spoken to each other. Their duties had decreed they be separated for some time. Rebuilding the galaxy had left little time for love.

"When did you get back from Coruscant?" he asked.

"Just this morning," she responded. "When I got back the first thing I did was ask for you. When no one knew, I assumed you might come here. And when I felt you through our bond, I knew I was right."

"And let me guess," he added, "you hid your presence from me so I would not feel you coming? You did a good job."

"I didn't startle you too badly, did I?" she asked smiling at him.

"Oh, not at all. And you know how much I like surprises. Especially ones like this. Here, come with me. We have a lot of catching up to do."

The two Jedi walked hand-in-hand along the hills of Dantooine. The planet had only just started to be resettled and the lack of people afforded them privacy. Together they filled each other in on all that had happened while they had been apart. When they finally stopped walking they settled underneath a tree beside a little waterfall, where Bastila told Revan about her time with her mother.

"I went back to Coruscant and sought her out. When I found her she was not in good condition. The doctors were surprised she had even lasted that long. She fought strongly. I think she did it because she wanted to see me again." She spoke with a melancholy tone in her voice.

"And how long were you able to be with her?"

"Only about three months. I told her I loved her, often. She never hesitated to say the same to me. In the end, though, there was so little time. If only I had more time…" Revan could tell she was fighting to hold back tears.

"But you had enough time to heal old wounds, did you not?"

"Yes."

"Did you tell her about…?" Revan began.

"…Malak?" She finished his sentence for him. "Yes. I told her all about my betrayal, how I did it and did it gladly. How it was my love for you that hastened my fall and in the end brought me back. I was so afraid that she would reject me or at the least be angry with me." She spoke with increasing sadness.

"Did she?" Revan asked, feeling her sadness through the bond.

"No. She accepted me fully. She seemed to understand. And when I asked her why she accepted this she told me…" now she was crying. "She told me that I would always be her daughter and nothing could change that. She said she knew I would make mistakes, but that I would be able to make the right choices when they really mattered. She told me that know matter what she would always love me, and that the fact that I turned away from the dark side is what mattered most."

Revan wrapped his arms around her and rested her head on his chest, letting her tears fall on his robes. He gently caressed her cheek and let his comfort pour into her through their bond.

"I miss her so much, Revan," she muttered through the tears.

"I know. Always remember though, Bastila, there is no death, there is the force. Your mother will still live on as long as you remember her and love her in your heart." He was unsure if this sounded too cliché, but he spoke straight from the heart.

"Yes, you are right, and I know I am fortunate to have even known my parents." She referred to the fact that Revan had never even known his parents.

"Well, it's harder to have something and then have it taken from you then to never have it to begin with."

"I suppose. It's just that being a Jedi can be so…so difficult. People tend to think you're a god when sometimes all you are is an ordinary person who knows a few magic tricks."

"I promise you, Bastila, you are much more than that," said Revan earnestly.

"I know. I was just saying that some people expect us to be above normal feelings when we're not." By this time she had stopped crying.

Revan used his thumb to wipe away her tears and took her hand in his. He bent forward and kissed her softly. When he pulled away she was smiling. He just noticed the sun was starting to set.

"Come on," he said. "We should be heading back." He gently pulled her up with him and the two walked back toward the settlement. By the time they got back it was almost dark.

Upon reaching the Khoonda settlement they decided to relax in the cantina. Revan insisted on paying for both drinks, although it took some arguing with Bastila for her to agree. As they sat together in the dimly lit room listening to the soft music they got into a conversation about the rest of their friends whom they had parted from.

"Well, Juhani is with the council on Coruscant on some new assignment," said Revan. "Jolee is off doing who knows what. Mission and Zaalbar went back to Taris, I think. Carth Onasi, or should I say Admiral Onasi, is heading the restoration effort on Telos. He and his son have also been trying to regain their lost time."

"And what of our Mandalorian friend?" asked Bastila.

"Canderous has gone to Dxun. He has taken up the mantle of Mandalore. I believe he is trying to reunite the clans."

"Well, he certainly has his work cut out for him. I guess that one will never tire of fighting. Which reminds me – is our bloodthirsty droid still around?"

"HK-47? Of course! That droid is way to amusing to let go. Besides, it's not as if I can simply 'throw him away'. He's grown frustrated lately, though. The lack of bloodshed is starting to get to him."

"Oh really? And where is he now?"

"He and T3-M4 are guarding the ship as we speak."

Behind them they heard the cantina door open followed by an excited shout.

"Hey, you two lovebirds!"

Revan and Bastila both turned in the direction of the voice and their jaws practically dropped off.

"Mission? What are you doing here?" asked Bastila.

"Zaalbar had enough of her, so he told me to drop her off with you," responded a joking voice. Revan looked behind Mission.

"Carth! Force, how on Dantooine did you find us?" he asked.

Carth and Mission walked over to them with smiles wide enough to split a planet.

"Actually, we didn't even know you were here," explained Mission. "Well, we knew you were on Dantooine, but when we couldn't find you we decided to come here to take a break, and turns out you're here."

"Where's Zaalbar?" Revan asked.

"Oh, he decided to return to Kashyyk. He's trying to rebuild his tribe after what happened with Czerka. He offered to let me come, but I refused. Not that I don't like the place, but the tall trees and jungles can get boring after a while. That is if the stench of the Wookies doesn't drive you off first."

"Or the Kinraths," added Carth. "And she really wanted to see you again. Since I had to come to Dantooine anyway, I decided to bring her along."

"Well, it's wonderful to see the both of you again," said Bastila. "Come and sit down."

Mission and Carth pulled up two more chairs and sat down. Revan decided to pay for their drinks, too, which took some more arguing with Carth. The four sat for hours talking and telling each other of their adventures after the destruction of the Star Forge. Revan asked Carth about Telos, and it turned out keeping the peace was as hard as winning the war.

"With the destruction of Peragus by who knows what, Telos, lost the bulk of its fuel supply. I don't know what we're going to do. I just hope it doesn't come to abandoning the project."

"We'll help you in any way we can, Carth," assured Revan. "But what caused the destruction of Peragus?"

"Some freak explosion, which is odd because the only thing that could cause an explosion is blaster fire, and blasters are prohibited from Peragus. That leads to the bigger question: why would someone be shooting off blasters in Peragus?"

"What kind of blaster fire?" queried Revan.

"Oh, that's even better. Scientists are saying that only ship-to-ship blaster fire could have caused an explosion like that."

Revan and Bastila just stared down for a while, not knowing what to make of this. Bastila finally asked "Why would a ship battle be taking place on Peragus?"

"I don't know," said Carth. "But I don't like it. I hope this turns out to be just a freak accident." He looked at the time. "We should probably leave. I think we could all use some sleep. I'll tell you the rest in the morning."

"You can stay on the Ebon Hawk, if you want," suggested Revan.

"Thanks, but I've got my own ship."

"What about Mission?"

"Could I stay with you?" she asked.

"Mission …" began Carth.

"Don't worry, Carth," assured Revan. "We'll be happy to let her stay. We've got the room anyway. Come with us, Mission."

Carth said goodnight to them and went his own way. As the other three walked back to the Ebon Hawk Mission passed the time by talking about her time on Taris. When they got there they were greeted by a robust HK-47.

"Statement: Welcome back master." He looked at Bastila and Mission. "Comment: Ah, so these two meatbags show up again. Eager query: Would you like me to blast them now, master?"

"No, HK, lower your rifle. Let Mission on the ship. She's our guest tonight."

"Indignant resignation: As you wish, master."

"Same old, loveable, HK-47," commented Mission sarcastically.

"Go ahead on the ship, Mission. Bastila and I need to talk."

She nodded and walked up the ramp. When she was gone Revan turned to Bastila.

"HK, please report to the cargo hold, for a moment." The frustrated droid turned and left. "So you want to stay on my ship, tonight, Bas?" asked Revan.

Bastila smiled at him. "I would be honored, my love. Now, what was it you wanted to ask me?"

"Um, yes," he responded. "I didn't want to alarm Mission, so I decided to ask you this in private. Do you think that Peragus was caused by the… by the… Sith?"

"I hope not. I am concerned, though Revan. I have felt disturbances in the force lately. The Republic could not find the Sith after they were driven back into the unknown regions. If they wanted to regroup, they have had time to do it. I just hope that isn't the case."

"Well, we'll have to wait and see. But don't worry yet, Bastila. Whatever this threat is, we'll face it together, as we've always done."

"Yes, I like that plan," she said with a smile.

She leaned forward and kissed him lightly before wrapping him in an embrace. The two held each other for some time before climbing into the Ebon Hawk, preparing to face the next day.

* * *

Well, what do you think so far? This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic, so please R&R! Suggestions are welcome. I'll be sure to update soon, although that's going to be tough with spring break being over soon and my annoying graduation project to do :( . 


	3. Chapter 2: Visions and Messages

Disclaimer: KOTOR + Star Wars not mine.

Note: I'm sorry if the first two chapters seem rushed. I was pretty eager to get them posted. Also, looking back, the story's title seems kinda lame. Anyway, hope you're satisfied with this chapter. : )

**Chapter 2: Visions and Messages**

Revan looked around at his surroundings. They were blindingly white. He felt the air around him. It was bitterly cold. Snow swirled around him and obstructed his vision. Wind bit at his skin through his Jedi robes.

"Where am I?"

He struggled to make sense of all this. Slowly the falling snow cleared and, Revan beheld a huge mountain. He moved toward the mountain's base but he wasn't moving – he was being transported. As he reached the mountain's base he noticed something…an opening. A cave entrance: partially concealed by deep drifts of snow. Revan could feel himself moving toward the entrance. He was only a few feet from it now…. He looked inside and struggled to see what lay within, trying to see through the darkness. But suddenly everything changed.

He saw a huge cavern. It should have been pitch black but was brightly lit. Revan tried to make out the source of light but everything was blurry, and then it changed again.

For a split second Revan beheld a face – a face that was not human. In fact, it did not resemble anything he had ever seen. The face was blurry but he could clearly make out two huge, blue eyes shaped like ovals staring at him. As quickly as the face appeared it vanished, and Revan woke up with a jolt.

* * *

He looked around at the dormitory of the Ebon Hawk. It had all been a dream. 

"No, not a dream – a vision," Revan thought. Bastila must have seen it. He had felt her presence in the vision. Revan pondered what to do next; whether he should tell Bastila now or wait until later. Revan's question was answered prematurely when he heard a light tapping at the dormitory door.

"Come in, Bastila." The door slid open revealing a concerned-looking Bastila. She was wearing a white robe which she had obviously slipped on in a hurry judging by its wrinkled appearance.

"You saw it. I know you did," she said while walking toward him. Revan motioned for her to sit down next to him on the bed. He took a second to look at the window. It was still dark out. She sat down beside him, looking nervously into his eyes. "Don't worry, Mission is still asleep. That girl sleeps rather soundly." Revan nodded at her.

"It was a vision. It had to be," Revan said, aware of the fact he was stating the obvious. "Where do you think it was?"

"I am unsure. I know of few places with a frozen landscape such as that one. Do you think it could be Hoth?"

"Possibly. The only other places I can think of are the polar regions of Dantooine and Coruscant. Seriously, though, Bastila, I know no more than you do." Revan, left dumbfounded by the vision, had no idea what to make of it. "Well," he sighed, "Whatever it means, it's clear the force wants us to go to a place that has a lot of snow. Maybe it means its time to take that ski trip we've talked about."

Bastila laughed softly. "I've always found snowfall rather soothing, but that placed seemed a little to frozen for my liking."

"Oh, think about it, Bas. It could be a great chance for you to go skiing for the first time in your life!"

A faint smile appeared on her face. "Honestly, Revan, we don't even know if that was a real place or not. The force works in mysterious ways. It's possible those places were just symbols or something else." She paused and her gaze fell downward. "What I really want to know is what the cavern was, and what that…thing was." She spoke this last part with mixture of fear and curiosity. She had obviously referred to the inhuman face.

"Well, it seemed pretty real to me, although I still have no idea what to make of it." He looked around nervously as if to make sure no one was watching. "I got the distinct impression, though, Bastila, that we should not tell anyone about this. Not Mission or Carth, not even the council. Not until we can make sense of it." She nodded at him with agreement and understanding. Revan looked once more at the pitch-black window. "Look, it's still dark out. Why don't we finish our sleep and discuss it in the morning?"

"Sounds like a plan to me. Goodnight, love." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and got up.

"Good night, princess. Sure you don't want to sleep in here for…er, protection?" he asked.

She turned around at him, smiling. "Maybe tomorrow night." She winked at him and proceeded for her dormitory. Although the question had been a joke, Revan felt strangely disappointed. Before she could close the door, however, a mechanical voice spoke to Revan from the hallway.

"Query: Has this female meatbag interrupted your recharging period (HK's term for sleeping) master? If so I would be more than happy to dispose of her for you."

"NO, HK! Just shut up and get back to guarding the ship."

Bastila laughed slightly and closed the door. As Revan lay there alone he tried to fall asleep but could not stop turning over the vision in his head. What was that place? And those eyes…. Strangely enough, they did not so much scare him as intrigue him. Revan tossed and turned the rest of the night, struggling to make sense of it. When he finally found sleep again, it was almost sunrise.

* * *

Revan slowly opened his eyes. As his vision cleared he could see light pouring in through the window. It was late morning, by the looks of things. He sluggishly lifted himself from under the sheets. He looked over at the clock and saw it was about 10:00 a.m. Dantooine time. After staring blankly at the ground for some time, Revan finally decided to get dressed. He slipped into his Jedi robes and was in the process of putting on his boots when he heard commotion coming from outside. After strapping on his lightsabers he quickly stepped out to investigate what the noise was about. 

As he hurried through the Ebon Hawk's garage he stubbed his foot and practically tripped over a heavy object in his path.

"Deed deet dit beep boop!"

"Oh, sorry T3, I didn't see you there. I guess I wasn't paying attention. You okay?"

"Beep breep boop dit dit," T3 replied cheerfully.

"Alright, good to know we're still friends. Whatcha doing there?"

"Wroop beep beep bloop bip doot bleep."

"Oh, the Ebon Hawk's heating valve was leaking? Thanks for fixing it, T3."

"Droop bleep breep."

"You don't happen to know what's going on in the main room, do you?"

"Drooooo…tweet boop breep."

"Oh really? I'll go see what's going on then. Keep up the good work!"

"Tweet deet!"

Revan walked in just in time to see HK-47 thrown across the room into the wall.

"Request: Master, please try to restrain your meatbag friend! She seems to be overly sensitive about comments regarding her anatomical features!"

"Revan, tell that infernal droid to keep his feet and his comments to himself! It's bad enough he goes about asking to blast everything he sees!" A red-faced Bastila crossed her arms and glared at the droid who had just recovered from being force-pushed into the console. Meanwhile Mission was sitting down against the wall, her face turning purple with laughter.

"What in the force is going on here!" asked a confused Revan.

"Statement: I was merely walking into the main room, trying to get to the cargo hold. I could not get by however, because the space between the wall and the holo-projector is rather slim, and your meatbag mistress was taking up what little space was left. Her rear segment was blocking my path."

"I was bending over trying to get something out of a storage crate! Then your bloody droid takes it upon himself to…urgh!"

"What did he do?" asked Revan.

"Statement: I asked her once to please remove herself from my path. When she did not respond I feared she may have temporarily blanked out. I decided to the best course of action would be to make sure she was still active. I administered a swift kick to her posterior to see if she would respond. She did, and she seemed most infuriated."

"I didn't hear you the first time! You should have the sense to ask again, and you most certainly should not kick someone when they're in your way!"

"Statement: When she started to chastise me I reminded her of my request for her to move. When she continued to yell at me I had to remind her that I was hardly to be blamed for her failure of hearing, let alone her oversized posterior. That was when she threw me into the wall with her freakish abilities!"

"I do not have a large rear end!" Bastila protested.

"Oh, come on Bastila," went Mission. "Some people would take HK-47's remark as a compliment."

"WELL, I DON'T!" Bastila yelled.

"Defense: Come now, master, even you have to admit that there is a noticeable swelling in her rear segment! Perhaps if that was not so it would not pose such an obstacle to one's path!"

Meanwhile Revan was desperately struggling to keep himself from bursting into uncontrollable laughter. He could tell from Bastila's angry glare, however, that he was not succeeding.

"Um, HK," he stammered after finally collecting himself, "Please avoid kicking Bastila or anyone else in the rear end in the future. If someone is in your way, ask them to move. If they don't respond, ask them again, only louder. I'm sure they will notice you."

"Oh, very well, master. Request: However, I must ask your meatbag female to not be so sensitive regarding comments concerning her anatomy and to avoid having any other body parts swell to disproportionate size. I can already tell that those things on her chest could pose a nuisance to others if they grow much larger."

At this Revan could no longer contain himself, and he and Mission both burst out into insane fits of laughter. Bastila was now thoroughly furious and her face turned an even deeper shade of red.

"Well, I'm glad we're all having such a wonderful time at my expense! When you're all done, I'll be in the dormitory deciding who to test out my lightsaber on first!" At this she stormed off into the dormitory with steam trailing behind her and shut the door. Mission and Revan were still rolling around, laughing wildly.

When the two finally gathered themselves, tears of laughter streaming down their faces, they sat down against the wall. They looked at each other with smiles; trying to catch their breath.

"Oh man, that HK really knows how to get under her skin," remarked Mission.

"I wouldn't go in there for a while. She's more dangerous than a kath hound with rabies when she's like this."

"Yeah, and she's twice as likely to bite," joked Mission. Revan laughed again at her comment.

When they finally stopped laughing a loud beeping sound rang over the com-speakers.

"That's probably Carth," said Mission. Revan ran over to the cockpit and pressed the button to receive the message. The holo-screen flickered to life revealing a sleepy-eyed Carth Onasi.

"Oh, great Revan, you're awake," said Carth. "I was afraid I would have to call later. Why are you smiling like that? Are you really that happy to see me?"

"Oh, we just had a little 'incident' here." Revan was glad Carth still had a sense of humor. "What's up? Why are you calling?"

"I need to see you and Bastila soon. I'm supposed to give you a message from the Jedi Council. They said they need you two for a 'mission'. That's why I came to Dantooine in the first place. I also need to talk to you two myself. I would prefer to speak in person, however. Any chance we could meet up?"

"Sure! Meet us in the cantina about noon. We can talk there."

"Oh, and feel free to bring Mission along. I doubt she'd appreciate being cooped up on the ship."

"Will do, Carth."

"Alright! See you at noon. Carth Onasi out." The transmission abruptly ended. Revan pondered what the council planned for him next. Revan then recalled the vision he and Bastila shared. He still felt they should keep it a secret, although he had no idea why. Revan waited for about half an hour before going to see Bastila. Upon reaching the dormitory he knocked lightly on the door.

"What do you want?" responded a frustrated Bastila.

"Look, Bastila, I need to speak to you. It's important. Carth just called." The door opened and a curious Bastila stepped out to meet him.

"What did he say?" she asked.

"He would like to speak with us. He says he has a message from the Jedi council concerning some new mission. He also needs to talk with us himself. I told him we would meet in the cantina around noon. That sound okay to you?"

"Sounds fine. Did he say anything else?"

"Nope, just that we could bring Mission along if we want." He looked at Bastila and tried to gather his next sentence. "Look, Bastila, I'm sorry about earlier."

"I know. And that droid is right about one thing: I really should learn to control my emotions. I promised myself I would do that. I – I'm sorry I couldn't control myself back there."

"It's alright, Bastila. Besides, you know I love you and would never laugh at you to make you feel bad."

"I know. In retrospect, it was kind of funny. That droid just infuriates me so much sometimes."

"Hey, he gets on everyone's nerves, but that's his nature." Revan smiled at her and gently placed his hand on her cheek. "So, are you okay, now?"

"Oh, I feel much better," she said smiling at him. Her expression then turned serious. "Revan,…"

"Yes, Bastila?" he asked brushing his hands through her hair.

"I don't have a large rear end, do I?"

Revan somehow managed to avoid bursting into laughter again. He gathered himself and looked at her, smiling. "Bastila, I'll only say this. You're beautiful to me and no large posterior will ever change that. Besides, you really do have a fine er, cargo hold." He thought she would be angry at this comment but blushed instead.

"Um, thank you. Would you like to come in?"

"Sure," he responded. "It's kinda boring in the cockpit." When Bastila turned around, Revan was overcome by the urge to reach down and give her rear a slight pinch, earning a surprised "Oh!" from her.

* * *

When they arrived at the cantina they stepped inside and were greeted by Carth, who already had a table. 

"Where's Mission?" he asked.

"She decided to do some exploring instead. You didn't need her for anything, did you?"

"No, that's fine. Actually, its kind of better this way. Come and sit down." The three sat at a table in the corner.

"Now, what did you want to tell us?" asked Bastila.

"Well do you remember the incident at Peragus I told you about? It turns out we found someone on Telos that may be involved in the incident. He arrived on Telos very shortly after the explosion. When I learned of who they were holding, I thought you would want to see him yourself. I had him and his companions transferred to Coruscant. That was why I came here – to tell you. Meanwhile, when the council learned of him, they immediately requested your presence. I just received the transmission last night. They too, felt you needed to see who it was."

"Who was it?" Revan and Bastila asked in unison.

"Well," Carth paused. "He's pretty well-known. The council did not seem too happy to see him, especially Vrook and Atris. The prisoner also knew you, and seemed pretty eager to see you."

Revan did not like where this was going. "Who was it?" he asked again.

"He served under you during the Mandalorian wars. I don't know if you remember him or not. Tell me, Revan, do you know of someone named Quaid Darin?"

Revan's jaw dropped. Bastila was stunned.

"The general," stammered Revan.

"The exile," muttered Bastila.

* * *

Aarrgh! I still think this chapter's rushed. Oh well. Anyway, feeback is appreciated as always. Don't worry, the plot will soon pick up. By the way, I know Dantooine and Coruscant may not even have polar regions, but it's all for effect : ) . Adios. 


	4. Chapter 3: Old Allies

If you don't want to hear me complaining about KOTOR II, just skip straight to the story. Anyway, I thought KOTOR II was a big letdown. With its long loading screens, confusing story, incomplete quests, boring environments (cough)Peragus(cough), underdeveloped (and sometimes annoying) characters, and a cliffhanger ending all topped off by a major lack of accomplishment, I felt the developers dropped the ball. And just what the hell is a "wound in the force" anyway? Anyway, that's why I'm making this story an AU. I did like some of the characters, though, which is why I'm combining characters from both games. Well, I'm done whining for now. Here you are.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or KOTOR or anything else with George Lucas's name on it.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Old allies**

"Whoa, I think I struck gold! You mean you both know him?" Carth asked in astonishment.

Bastila responded before Revan did. "Why, yes! He was the one the council banished from the order after the Mandalorian Wars!"

Carth motioned with his hands. "Wait, back up a second. Just what exactly makes this guy so special? Didn't the council exile a lot of Jedi after the wars?"

"Actually, no," Bastila corrected. "After the war was over, many of the Jedi and the soldiers who served under Revan disappeared with him into the unknown regions of space. Many of the other Jedi who stayed had become Sith and retreated to Korriban or other worlds where they could remain hidden. Still, other Jedi who had not fallen decided to go into hiding, afraid of the council's punishment for going to war. Of all the Jedi who fought with Revan and Malak, only he came back to face judgment."

"And why did he do that?" Carth asked.

"I'm not sure. The council, like many things, kept his jury a secret. Only his punishment, that is, exile, was made known. I always felt that he had been deeply regretful of his decisions to go to war."

"Why is that?"

"I can answer that," Revan chimed in. "He did not go to war for the same reasons Malak and I did – to help others. He went to war for revenge. He hated the Mandalorians. He wanted to kill them all and watch them suffer. He saw the war as a chance to get them back and to test his combat skills. Oh, and if you want to know his lightsaber's color, it was red – red as the blood in our veins. Nevertheless, he proved himself a powerful warrior. He was very skilled at both combat and strategy. A great leader in the field, and a great employer of tactics. I chose him to lead my ground assaults in many battles because of this. It's a decision I both approve of and regret at the same time."

"Wait a moment!" yelled a shocked Carth. "I thought you couldn't remember anything from your past!"

"Actually, my memories have been returning, albeit slowly. I remember a lot from the Mandalorian Wars. I also remember some of my Jedi training but very little from my childhood."

"And um, anything from your days as Darth Revan?" asked Carth cautiously.

Revan shook his head. "No, nothing yet. Anyway, the last I remember of Quad Darin, or 'the exile', is shortly after the battle of Malachor V."

"Oh." Carth winced. "I've heard of that." He looked down with regret in his eyes. "It won us the war, but it cost us so much."

Bastila spoke up. "From what I heard, the planet was destroyed! How is that even possible?"

"It's kind of complicated," Revan explained. "We had developed a weapon known as the 'mass shadow generator'. I cant' remember much about it, but it's actually separate devices that act as one when activated. We planted these devices on the surface of Malachor V. When the Mandalorians came, the Republic and Jedi forces met them on the surface of the planet. The two sides fought for ages." Revan sighed and shook his head. "Many died, and neither side could gain an advantage. After so much fighting the situation looked hopeless. Quaid Darin was leading the troops that battle. The situation grew desperate. He had to do something fast. With retreat out of the question and no end in sight, Quaid ordered the activation of the device."

"How did it work?" asked Bastila.

"The device worked by multiplying the gravitational field of Malachor V. When activated, they strengthened the gravity of the planet by nearly tenfold. All life forms on the planet were crushed to death. All the Mandalorian ground forces were wiped out, but so were all the Republic forces that had stayed on the planet. The gravity was so great, the planet actually imploded on itself, and was for all purposes destroyed. Malachor V is still there, but barely. The planet is split into fragments that barely hold on to each other. As for the device, it's destroyed as well. We never made a new one."

Carth looked up at him. "What happened to the exile?"

"Quaid was orbiting the planet in his capital ship. Although safe from the devastation of the device, he was still affected by it. As a Jedi, he felt the deaths of every person on the planet. It hurt him greatly. He was scarred by a planet's worth of pain and the torment of knowing he ordered the destruction."

Bastila finished the story for him. "The battle left its scars on him. He had been craving for the fight the entire war, but that one event proved to be his breaking point. And when the war was over and Revan disappeared, he went back to face judgment. I believe he was truly sorry for his actions. He felt the true effects of war, and wanted to give up fighting. Perhaps he hoped the council would execute him. The council does not kill, however. They banished him from the order, and he surrendered his lightsaber. I remember hearing rumors that he had stabbed it right into the center stone. I… I think he was glad to be rid of it. When he finally left, I was afraid he would never return."

"So," said Revan faking a smile, "Does that answer your question?"

"Sure does," replied Carth gloomily.

"Well, what does the council want us for, then?" asked Bastila.

"As I said, they wanted Revan to see him. The council thought it was appropriate since he served under you and Malak in the wars. Besides, when we questioned him about the destruction of Peragus, he was mostly quiet. Mostly he just asked to speak with you. He did, however, say it wasn't his fault."

"Do you believe him?" Revan asked.

"I really don't know what to believe. Things have been a mess lately. What I'm most worried about is Telos. Without Peragus, we've lost a major fuel source. 'sigh' Telos was going to be a model for all worlds scarred by the wars. If Telos dies, then the other worlds stay dead."

"We deeply regret this, Carth. We want to help in any way we can," said Bastila, trying to assure Carth.

"I doubt there's much you can do, unless you can come up with a new fuel source for an entire planet." Carth's depression showed plainly. "Oh! I almost forgot! The council wanted to see you too, Bastila, but they didn't tell me what for."

"Well, that's rather informative," remarked Bastila sarcastically. "Any idea when we must leave?"

"Two days from now. As I said, the exile's been moved to Coruscant, so you won't be making the extra trip to Telos."

"Well, looks like our little vacation's over," remarked Revan. "So, Carth, what did you want to talk to us about?"

"Actually, you answered a lot of the questions I had for you. I hoped to ask you if either of you knew him or knew about his history."

"I had met him before he went to the Mandalorian wars," said Bastila. "He and I trained together sometimes as padawans. He always seemed like a good person, and he was quite charismatic. Unfortunately, we were only distant acquaintances. The last time I remember seeing him before the Mandalorian Wars was when Malak gave his famous rallying speech on Coruscant." Bastila noticed Revan wince.

She continued, "I remember at the time he had grown quite disgusted at the council's lack of action. He soon hated them as much as the Mandalorians. I remember he was among the first to step up and join Malak. I begged many of the Jedi there to stay and heed the council's warning, but that was to no avail." Bastila sighed. "Beyond that, I can't tell you anything except what we've said earlier."

"I see," said a rather solemn Carth. "Well this certainly sheds light on the subject. Thanks for your help."

"No problem, Carth," chimed Revan. "By the way, did Quaid have any companions with him?"

"No one much. Just a cranky old lady who never talks and some whiny pazaak-playing pilot who talks way too much. Not exactly the kind of company I'd expect him to keep."

"Hmm. That is interesting," pondered Revan. The sudden beeping of Carth's communicator broke his thought.

"Great. Seems like the Admiral needs to talk to me about something. Look, I'm sorry, but I need to go. I have to leave Dantooine today. Duty calls, you know."

"Alright, then. It was nice meeting you Carth."

Don't worry, we'll probably meet up again on Coruscant. So long, you two."

Revan nodded. He and Bastila said farewell to Carth and he left for his ship. Suddenly Revan remembered something and called out to Carth before he left the cantina entrance.

"Wait! What about Mission?"

Carth turned and half-smiled at Revan. "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure you two can look after her."

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Carth," replied Bastila sourly. Carth waved at them and left, leaving the two Jedi to themselves. Bastila turned to Revan. "Well, looks like we now have another thing to take care of."

Revan looked back at her. "What, Mission? She can take care of herself. She's not a baby. The most she'll need from us is a place to sleep, and I can give her that easily enough. Or do you have a ship of your own?"

"Actually, Revan, I took a shuttle here. My ship had a faulty hyperdrive boost and needed repairing. I was originally going to take the next shuttle off this planet, but then again, I did not expect to have to leave here so soon." Bastila crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Revan. "So, it looks like Mission and I will have to leave with you."

Revan chuckled and performed a mock-bow. "I am always honored to escort you anywhere, my beautiful Jedi princess."

"Revan,…" Bastila smiled slightly at his jest.

"And don't worry about Mission, Bastila. I've had her on my ship once, I can easily make room for her again."

"Well, we better go find her and tell her the great news." The two Jedi nodded at each other and left the Cantina.

* * *

Upon exiting, they walked down the streets of the new settlement and talked some more about the council's sudden summoning. The two Jedi eventually ended up discussing the exile again, pondering his new situation. 

"You know Bastila, I'm kind of curious as to why he was found with two companions. The pilot I can understand, but what about the old woman?"

"I'm just as confused as you are Revan. But I'd like to ask you something: do you believe he destroyed Peragus?"

"If he did, I believe he would have done it by accident or because there was no other choice. I find it highly unlikely that he was the culprit, though."

"If he wasn't, then who was?" asked Bastila.

"That's the part that frightens me."

Bastila looked earnestly at Revan. "Do you remember the incident at Katarr, eight months ago?"

"You mean the Miraluka colony?" He nodded solemnly. "Yes. Ironically, I was just thinking about that. An entire colony of force-sensitives here one moment and gone the next. How peculiar is that?"

"As peculiar as it is tragic." Bastila sighed. "The Jedi council had gone there to meet. They were going to discuss plans for rebuilding the order and the Republic. But then they felt a great disturbance in the force and left. Some of the Miraluka left with them -"

Revan finished her thought " –But the rest stayed behind and were all wiped out very soon afterwards. They were extinguished by a threat that no one saw coming or going. They never found out who or what caused it."

Worry spread over Bastila's face. "I'm scared, Revan. What if the Sith are returning? If so, then they intend to finish what the Jedi Civil War started. They will seek revenge, and that means they will be looking for us…for you!"

Revan hushed her and drew her close to him. "I'm scared too, Bastila. But if the Sith are returning, then we must do as we've always done – fight them. As long as we remain true to what we believe in – the force, the light, ourselves, each other – then we will emerge victorious, one way or another. I promise you." He stared straight into those ocean-blue eyes, and she stared straight back. He felt his and Bastila's mind relaxing and passing into a brief moment of ecstasy.

Their moment of bliss was cut short when the world around them changed. They beheld a frozen landscape. Snow swirled around them in a thick, white wall. The wind bit into their skin and sent shivers up their spines. The snow cleared and they beheld it once again – the mountain. The scene changed again, only this time to a place they hadn't been before. A rocky wall, perhaps a Cliffside, against which lay a huge boulder. The boulder was not there naturally – it had been put there…to block something. Then they saw it again – the face. They saw its huge blue eyes, in which they beheld a peculiar energy. Was it the force? As quickly as it appeared, it was gone.

It had been another vision. Revan looked around to see if they had attracted attention. He looked at Bastila and noticed she had her eyes closed and was breathing heavily. Revan was surprised to find himself sweating. Bastila opened her eyes and looked nervously at him.

"Revan…"

"We should get back to the ship, Bastila."

Bastila nodded in agreement and the two hastily made their way to the Ebon Hawk.

* * *

"What does this mean, Revan? What does this mean?" Bastila asked him anxiously, nervously pacing around the Ebon Hawk's dormitory. 

"I don't know, Bastila! You think I understood one bit of it? I'm just as in the dark as you!"

"But why are we receiving them? It just doesn't make sense!"

"I know, Bastila. This whole thing confuses me, too. I just don't know!"

"Revan," she walked up to him, "do you think we should tell the council?"

"I…I am unsure. I want to tell the council, Bastila, but I keep getting the impression that we shouldn't tell anyone, and I have no clue why."

Bastila shook her head and sat down on the bed next to Revan. "The galaxy just keeps getting more unusual by the minute. As if rebuilding the Republic and dealing with the Sith wasn't enough."

Revan threw his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "You have my agreement there. Then again, that's what we get for being Jedi."

Bastila laughed slightly and looked at Revan. "No, that's what I get for being bonded with you."

Revan smiled at her. "No, that's what I get for loving you." He pulled Bastila's face toward him and kissed her lightly. She kissed him back, and Revan leaned back on the bed, pulling her down with him. Bastila laughed softly and kissed him again as Revan wrapped his arms around her. At last she broke away and rested her head on his chest, letting out a deep breath. She lay down on top of Revan as he ran his fingers up and down her body.

She closed her eyes and nuzzled against him, smiling contentedly whileRevan gazed at her lovingly. He could feel his own eyes closing as he watched Bastila resting peacefully on him. Within moments, the two Jedi both passed into the land of dreams.

* * *

Revan slowly opened his eyes and looked around. Bastila's warm body was still on top of him, sleeping as peacefully as ever. Revan wanted to move but hated to disturb Bastila at this moment. Noticing that it was still light out, Revan glanced at the clock. It was after 5:00. He closed his eyes again when he heard T3 beeping outside, followed by the young voice of Mission. 

"Tweet, deet deet!"

"Yes, good job! Thank you so much, T3! You can go back to the patrolling the ship now."

He heard her footsteps approaching the dorm. Revan was tempted to move but realized it was pointless. The smiling face of Mission soon appeared in the doorway.

"Oh, Revan, I didn't wake you, did I?" she asked quietly, noticing Bastila was still sleeping.

"No, not at all Mission. Umm, could I get back to you in a couple minutes?"

Mission nodded understandingly and left. Revan was loathed to do it but he gently nudged Bastila, awaking her from her peaceful repose. Her sleepy eyes looked up at him.

"Don't tell me its morning already," she said sarcastically.

"Nope. I think we should get up, with Mission being here and all." Bastila quickly lifted herself off Revan and looked to make sure Mission wasn't there.

"Too late, she caught us. Just be glad we were smart enough to keep our robes on."

"Right."

"She's outside. I'm not sure how long she's been back, though. Come on, we'd better tell her about Carth."

The two Jedi slowly got up and emerged from the dormitory. When they found Mission she was in the main hold playing a game of dijarik with T3. Mission momentarily lost interest in the game upon seeing them enter the room. She stood up and folded her arms with as ahalf-smile shown on her face.

"So, anyone care to explain where Carth went?" she asked.

"Sorry we didn't tell you earlier, Mission, but we couldn't find you, and we became a little…distracted," said Revan, trying to look innocent as possible.

"Right…."

"Carth had to return to Coruscant. I'm afraid he couldn't take you with him, so it looks like you'll be staying with us until we leave."

"That's alright, I guess. I'd rather stay with you two anyway. Don't get me wrong – he's a great guy, but it's kinda hard hanging around with someone who's perpetually stressed out over practically everything. I can't begin to tell you the number of hours he spent talking about how the Telos project worried him." Her expression then changed as she realized something. "Wait - you said we're leaving? When?"

"Two days from now we leave for Coruscant," Revan told her.

"Coruscant, huh? I've never been to Coruscant, before!"

"Well, think of this as our special treat for you – your first trip to Coruscant," Bastila replied.

"Wow. This is great! I've always wanted to see it!" She paused and she looked at them nervously. "I'm sorry if I'm becoming a burden to you two. I didn't mean for you to have to drag me around everywhere. I was going to leave with Carth, but-"

"Hey, no problem. It's not as if this is the first time you've been a passenger on my ship, anyway." Revan placed a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, you don't think I'd want to say goodbye to my favorite blue Twi'lek so soon, did you? Just try not to get into too much trouble, okay?"

"Sure! And don't worry. I promise I won't be a bother. I can take care of myself easily enough. Thanks a lot, you guys!" She tackle-hugged Revan and then Bastila and skipped off excitedly toward the port dormitory.

"Deet deet breep boop!" T3 called to her.

"Oh, I quit, T3, you win!" Mission replied from the dormitory.

Revan and Bastila smiled at each other. Upon realizing they really hadn't had anything to eat all day, they decided to retrieve some food from the cargo hold. Revan briefly wondered what Mission was "thanking" T3 about but shrugged off the thought.

The rest of the day passed quickly. Night came and went without another vision for Revan or Bastila. The next day they retrieved some more food and supplies for the trip to Coruscant. The entire two days passed mostly without incident. Finally, the Ebon Hawk lifted off from the Khoonda settlement and blasted off to their next journey – the capital world of Coruscant.

* * *

At last, it's over! This chapter gave me severe writer's block. The fact that this chapter is a transitional chapter made things difficult. Sorry if this chapter is a lot of talking, but explanations are necessary, unfortunately. Anyway, as always, please r & r. Request: if anyone knows what the surface of Coruscant looks like, please tell me if you can. (Just a brief description) I'm not an expert on the Star Wars universe. **Note**: I reset the story to two years later instead of one, because one year after the Star Forge seemed to short to write this story properly. 


	5. Chapter 4: More Reunions

Ok, here's the rundown: I've been very busy lately, so I haven't been able to post as soon as I had hoped. I'm sorry this chapter's kind of uneventful, but I promise to have chapter 5 posted very soon. And yes, I did change my profile name. X sounded better than 2.0 (at least to me it did).

Armiena: No problem! Thanks for the correction, I really appreciate it. The error has been fixed.

(Just for the record, this is an AU, so things will change and some characters will be different.)

Wow! My story "The Knight and the Princess" made Barachiel's list of favorites! How cool is that! (I feel special) To all you Revan/Bastila fans out there, read Bachiel's story "Heart's Eye View." It is excellent and is one of my personal favorites. (It's in my favorites list in case you have trouble finding it.) Anyway, here you are.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter 4: More Reunions**

The trip to Coruscant passed slowly, as hyperspace travel always does. Fortunately, with more fights erupting between HK-47 and Bastila and with T3 around to play dijarik with, the crew was able to find enough entertainment. Revan did notice that Mission was spending an unusual amount of time with T3, but he declined to give it thought. Finally, the Ebon Hawk exited hyperspace and they beheld the magnificent Republic capital.

Mission stared in awe at the planet from the cockpit as Revan and Bastila guided the ship's path toward the planet.

"Wow!" She gasped. "It's magnificent!"

"Wait until you see it up close," said Revan from the pilot seat.

"It won't be long before we begin our descent, Mission. I suggest you go to the main hold and strap yourself in," said Bastila as she punched in some coordinates. Mission nodded and made her way to the main hold, although she was reluctant to give up the view.

Revan activated the ship's intercom. "Hey, T3!" He said into the device. The droid responded to him from over the communicator. "Do one last check on the landing thrusters. I don't want this ship to make a crater when it lands." T3 tweeted in acknowledgement and the intercom went silent.

Revan looked at Bastila as he guided the ship toward the planet. "So," he said, "Looking forward to meeting our wise leaders again?" Bastila rolled her eyes and merely shook her head as she remembered their experiences shortly after the war.

After the battle of the Star Forge, the Revan and Bastila returned to the council but received a lukewarm greeting. While a handful of Jedi welcomed them with open arms, many were either untrusting or downright hostile. Revan's crimes as the dark lord of the Sith still echoed in the minds of the Jedi, and many of them still desired to see him punished. Even despite the fact that he had saved the Republic from Malak, his old self was not forgotten amongst them.

Even Bastila's short career as a Dark Jedi reached the Republic and many distrusted her as well. The news of her aiding the Sith at the Star Forge led many Jedi to regard her with disdain as well. As if this wasn't enough, it took only a short while for the council to find out Revan and Bastila had fallen deeply in love, and it brought even more scorn and criticism on them. Revan and Bastila refused to give in to this and made no attempt to hide their relationship. The council expressed strong disapproval of their love, and they debated on whether or not to allow it to continue. In the end, after realizing that anything they did would be futile, they left the two alone. Only a handful of masters, mostly Vandar and Kavar, accepted and approved of their relationship.

For months, the treatment that Revan and Bastila faced was almost unbearable. They were frequently glared at or even yelled at by citizens in the streets. Authorities frequently detained and questioned them for no reason at all. Many times they were spat upon or had objects thrown at them by random people. Perhaps the worst incident was where Revan and Bastila were attacked suddenly by an angry vigilante mob. The two decided to run instead of defending themselves, as they needed no reason to be arrested again. It took the Republic authorities to finally disperse the crowd and restore order. Once again, it was probably their love for each other that gave them the strength to get through these times.

Fortunately, over the course of two years, the two Jedi worked hard to regain the trust of the people, helping the Republic and the Jedi in any way they could. Gradually, as more people realized the two Jedi had changed, Revan and Bastila were accepted and their trust regained. Soon, they were almost treated as if they had never been Dark Jedi at all. They could finally walk the streets of a public place without fear of being attacked. However, they still occasionally faced a sneer or a raised eyebrow from a person in the streets, and the council still heartily disapproved of their relationship. Despite this, life was finally enjoyable once more.

Bastila shook herself out of the daydream and concentrated on helping Revan fly the Ebon Hawk toward Coruscant. Upon reaching the atmosphere the ship slowed its descent and kicked in the landing boosters. Revan gracefully flew the Ebon Hawk through the clouds and finally the sprawling city of Coruscant came into view.

It was a magnificent sight. The towering skyscrapers seemed to dwarf even those of Taris, and the sunlight which gleamed off of them made the city look like a brightly lit cavern of crystal. Ships and airspeeders zipped throughout the city, filling the sky like bees around a hive. The Ebon Hawk maneuvered its way to the docking port, and upon nearing it Bastila sent a transmission over the communicator.

"This is Bastila Shan of the Ebon Hawk requesting permission to dock at the spaceport, over."

The communicator buzzed and a gruff voice answered her transmission. "This is the Coruscant spaceport, we read you, Ebon Hawk. Permission granted, over."

The Ebon Hawk slowly gracefully into the docks and landed on one of the landing pads. When the ship finally clunked onto the ground Revan and Bastila unstrapped themselves and stretched.

"Mission, we've landed," Revan called out from the cockpit. He turned to his blue-eyed companion. "Well, Bastila, ready?"

"No point in staying here. Let's go," she agreed. The Jedi couple strolled into the main hold where an ecstatic Mission awaited them. She was desperately trying to mask her eagerness to leave the ship and explore Coruscant.

"Ready, you guys?" Mission asked anxiously.

"In a minute, Mission. Let me take care of a couple things, first. T3! HK!" Soon after Revan called them the two droids appeared in the main hold.

"Query: Is there something you need killed, Master?" the red droid asked him.

"Sorry, HK, but no. We're leaving the Ebon Hawk, but we need you two to guard the ship while we're gone."

"Sarcastic response: Oh, yes! Guard the ship! That is all this highly capable droid seems to be good for anymore. Nope, no need to use an assassination droid to assassinate, just guard the ship all day and all night!"

"Look, HK, I'm sorry there's nothing for you to kill, but you have your duties. Rest assured, you have my permission to eliminate any "meatbags" who attempt to enter the ship. However, you can only do this if you've already warned them to stay away once and they refuse to listen."

"Solemn resignation: Oh, very well master. I will strive to make sure this ship is safe from any meatbag threat."

Revan leaned over T3 and placed his hand on his "head". "T3, I want you to make sure this ship is alright and ready to go at a moment's notice. You know the routine: patch ups, repairs, diagnostics, etcetera. Oh, and make sure HK-47 stays out of trouble."

The little droid beeped cheerfully at him in response. HK-47 looked down at T3-M4 with droid contempt.

"Mocking agreement: Oh, yes, T3! Please make sure big, mean HK-47 is in no danger of becoming useful to anyone on this ship!"

Revan chuckled and faced his companions. "Alright, everyone ready?"

"I've been ready since this ship landed! Let's go!" said an excited Mission.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

The three exited the Ebon Hawk and made their way to the registration. After checking in with the dock authorities they left the spaceport and into the sprawling planet-city of Coruscant. Mission was overjoyed. Rarely had Revan seen her so excited before. Everywhere they went she walked three steps ahead of them and stopped to marvel at practically everything she saw. For her, it was like a dream come true. 

"Wow! Look at those skyscrapers! And I thought Taris' buildings were great! Geez, look at those cruisers! Are those fighters flying over head? Whoa, I don't think I've seen that kind of alien species before. What's that pyramid structure over there? Can we go see it?"

"Slow down, Mission," said Bastila finally. "There will be plenty of time to tour the place later. First, we must go to the Jedi enclave. We need to see the council."

The trio caught a shuttle and rode it to the section of the city which held the academy. After leaving the shuttle they strolled along the skyway toward the enclave. As they were walking Mission piped up once more.

"Hey Revan," she asked, "Do they let a lot of non-Jedi in the academy?"

"Well," Revan answered, "Well, in your case, they do, but usually only if they're accompanied by another Jedi, although a lot of non-Jedi roam the 'public' places of the academy freely. Some civilians come in if they need to speak with the council."

"You mean, if the need to complain to the council," added Bastila sarcastically.

Revan chuckled. "Unfortunately, you'll be seeing a lot less Jedi here than usual. Our numbers have really thinned after the Jedi Civil War." He looked down. "_And it's all my fault_," he thought to himself. Bastila took his hand in hers to comfort him. She could read his feelings thanks to their bond. Revan looked up at her and smiled. Just looking at her rarely failed to calm him.

They at last came to the grand entrance where some Republic soldiers stood guard. One of them, a man with a scar above his eye, greeted them as they approached.

"Ah, Revan and Bastila! Good to see you two again. What brings you to the academy?"

"The council requested our presence," replied Bastila.

"And what about her?" he asked pointing to Mission.

"She's with us, soldier. She'll be no trouble," replied Revan.

"Alright, go ahead in. I'll notify them of your arrival. Just make sure the blue one stays out of trouble." Mission rolled her eyes at this.

"She will. By the way, do you happen to know if Admiral Onasi is currently on the planet?"

"Yeah, I believe he is," said the soldier with a nod.

"Well, could you maybe inform him that Revan and Bastila have arrived?"

"I'll try, but I don't know if I'll be able to reach him."

"Well, just try and see. Thanks, by the way."

"No trouble," said the soldier and he returned to his post.

The trio entered the academy and beheld the familiar sites that surrounded them. Mission seemed in awe of the place.

"Wow!" she said while staring up.

"Yup. Impressive, isn't it?" said Revan as he looked around. "Amazing. I didn't think I'd ever be so glad to see this academy again."

"Just as I didn't think I'd be seeing you today, 'Padawan'," said a heavily accented voice from behind.

The three spun around at the same time and beheld a familiar, cat-like face belonging to an old friend of theirs. She was wearing her unique set of crimson robes.

Mission was the first to speak up. "Juhani? Wow, is it really you?"

"Hey, Juhani!" said Revan running up to her. "It's great to see you again! What are you doing here? I thought you were on Onderon."

"I was," she explained. "But the council decided to give me temporary leave of my duties. I came here to stay for a short while. I was then going to go back to Taris, but I heard you would be coming here, so I decided to stay. May I ask what business brings you to the enclave?"

"The council needed me to see an old friend of mine. I believe you've hear of him. Does the name 'Quaid Darin' ring a bell?"

"Ah, the exile," said Juhani with slight wander in her eyes. "I thought he had left the order for good. I never expected to see him again, even as a prisoner."

"The council needs me to see him. They believe he may be connected with the destruction of Peragus."

"There is something I must tell you three," said Juhani as the small group drew closer. "The exile was in the company of two other people. One of them is a male human by the name of Atton Rand. He does not seem to particularly like Jedi. The other is an old woman named Kreia, one of the Jedi masters who had been thought lost. She was being held with the exile but was just recently freed when they learned of her identity. The exile has been released as well. They are both here in the academy. This Atton person is still in custody."

"Do you know what they were doing with the exile?" asked Bastila.

Juhani shook her head. "I am afraid I do not know. That you must find out for yourself. However, I would watch out for the one named 'Atton'. I do not trust him."

"You have been around him?" asked Revan.

"Just once. One time I was asked to bring him his food in his cell, so I took the opportunity to talk to him. When I asked him about his past he was very evasive. The only thing he told me was that he was a soldier for the republic, but I believe he lied. In fact, I am certain of it."

"Geez. He doesn't sound like someone a Jedi would hang around with," remarked Mission.

"My exact thoughts as well. I think there is more to the story then I have been told. Regardless, it is not up to me to decide his fate." Juhani paused and shook her head. "But still, let us not dwell on dark things. It will be explained in time."

Revan nodded understandingly. "Well, it's wonderful to see you again, Juhani."

"And it is wonderful to see the three of you again. Tell me, are any other old friends here?"

Bastila answered her question. "No one except the two droids. That is if you consider HK-47 a friend, of course."

Juhani chuckled lightly. "Come, I will take you to master Vandar," she said. The four companions strode along the academy. At last they came to a large room full of young apprentices. At the front of the room was Master Vandar, who stood shorter than any of the children there. The young apprentices were practicing motions with their practice sabers. When Master Vandar noticed the four companions a smile played across his face.

"Ah, we have been expecting you," he said turning to them. Revan, Bastila, and Juhani all performed a respectful bow which Vandar returned. He then addressed the apprentices in the room. "Continue to practice. I must leave for a moment." The apprentices nodded and continued their motions.

"Step outside for a moment," he told the crowd of four. They left the room and Vandar turned his attention to them. "Hmm…I don't believe I have met this young one before," he said referring to Mission. "May I ask what your name is, young one?"

"Uh, Mission. Mission Vao. It's an, er, honor to meet you Master Vandar," she said with slight uncertainty in her words. She attempted the same bow of respect her Jedi companions showed Vandar earlier.

Vandar chuckled. "It is an honor to meet you as well. Revan has told me much about you, Mission. I must say it is nice to finally meet you in person."

"Really?" asked a shocked Mission while her face was starting to turn purple with embarrassment. To have a Jedi Master compliment her in such a way flattered her greatly.

"Has this been your first time in the academy?"

"Uh, yeah! This place is wonderful! I've been wanting to see this place my whole life. It's even better than Taris! Way better than Taris!"

"Thank you for your kind words, Mission. Revan told me about how you helped him escape Taris and aided in his search for the Star Forge."

A purple faced Mission glanced at Revan. The sudden attention caught her off guard. "Yeah, I guess I helped him a little."

Bastila and Revan laughed slightly as they watched Mission and Vandar talk. Suddenly Revan remembered their purpose and interrupted the two.

"Pardon me, Master Vandar, but you and the council summoned me and Bastila to the enclave. What do you wish to see us for."

"Ah, yes," said Vandar turning to the Jedi. "We must talk to you and Bastila about the exile. You must here what he has to say. Wait at the academy courtyard and meet us in the conclave room in exactly one hour. I will notify the other masters of you arrival and gather them together."

Vandar then turned his attention to Juhani and Mission. "Padawan Juhani, would you be so kind as to show this young one around the academy?"

Juhani bowed. "Of course Master Vandar. Come with me, Mission."

Mission's grin reappeared. "Wow! Thanks, Master Vandar!" she said. As she and Juhani left she turned and waved to Revan and Bastila. "See ya, guys!"

Bastila and Revan grinned and waved goodbye. Master Vandar bid them farewell and stepped inside the training room once again. Revan and Bastila smiled at each other for a while, amused at the situation.

"I'll tell you, Bastila, it's a shame not all the Jedi Masters can be like Vandar."

"He certainly has a way with children, I'll grant him that," she mused.

"You know, if Mission heard you say that, she'd have a fit." They both laughed.

Bastila paused and gaze fell downward. "Um, Revan…," she began. Her face grew serious.

"Yes, Bastila?"

"Should we tell the council about our little vision?"

Revan let out a deep sigh and moved his eyes downward as well. "I don't know. Things have grown confusing lately. There are many things I am unsure of." He lifted his head and gently raised Bastila's as well so their eyes met. "I do know one thing: we must trust in the force. When the time comes, we will know what to do."

Bastila nodded. Revan took her hand and the two made their way to the courtyard.

* * *

Finally, one hour late, Bastila and Revan arrived at the conclave room where two Jedi guarded the door. A short moment later they were let in and the two Jedi stepped into a large room in which stood many chairs, all of which contained a council member. Among the council members Revan noticed Vandar, Kavar, and Vrook near the center. Nearer to the right he saw Atris and Vash.

"Knight Revan, Padawan Bastila, come forward," commanded Vrook. The two Jedi marched hand-in-hand to the center of the room, an act which caused some Masters to raise an eyebrow. A deep scowl formed on Vrook's face. Upon reaching the center they let go of each other and bowed respectfully to the council.

"Arise," Vrook commanded. "Knight Revan and Padawan Bastila, you have been summoned here today because of a matter of great importance. Several events have transpired recently which have caused great concern among the council. Already, two planets have been destroyed effectively. One has been cleared of life, the other destroyed entirely."

He paused and stared at them as if he expected them to say something. He then resumed his speech quickly. "And now, a lost member of our order has resurfaced, and at a very peculiar time. He comes bearing information for us all."

Revan then chose the opportunity to speak up. "Has the exile spoken? I heard he insisted on remaining silent."

Kavar answered him instead of Vrook. "Regardless of what you have been told, the exile has been speaking all along. The authorities who detained him had refused to believe his story, and so refused to report it. That is why you may have been given the wrong information. Now that he is with us, we have found him to be telling the truth. You must hear what he has said. We now know who caused the destruction at Peragus."

Bastila and Revan were holding their breaths, hoping the answer would not be what they had feared.

Vrook resumed speaking. "It appears that the destruction was caused by a small faction of Sith. Apparently, they have returned. We are unaware right now of the magnitude of this threat. We hope it is simply a border skirmish by guerrilla attackers. Nevertheless, we are taking no chances. We must ready the Republic and the Jedi for a threat of any size."

Vandar at last spoke up. "And that is why you are here, Knight Revan and Padawan Bastila. We need you to help us here on Coruscant. We must strengthen ourselves while we still have time. The destruction of Peragus may have aided us in ways we do not know. It has opened our eyes to this threat. If we start now, we can defeat them before they grow strong."

"What will you have us do, honorable council?" queried Bastila.

Master Vash spoke for the first time. "You will stay here and help us to strengthen ourselves. We will need you to aid in the gathering of forces for our effort. As for you Revan, you will help the Republic in readying their fleet and readying their military."

"You mean," he started, "You are allowing me control of the fleet?"

"Not exactly. We will need your command of strategy to aid us here. You are to assist Admiral Onasi in preparations."

Atris, who had been silent the whole time, spoke up at last. "However, that is not your first task. To fully understand what has happened and what we face, you must speak with our lost member, the exile." She spoke the last word with a trace of venom in her voice.

"When shall I see him?" Revan asked.

Vrook resumed speaking once more. "You will see him immediately. He and Master Kreia are waiting for you. His third companion is still detained, however, so you will not be able to speak with him."

"Where is he?"

"He stays in a room here at the academy. You will be escorted there. If you have no further questions, you may leave now."

Revan shook his head. He and Bastila both bowed and turned to leave. They had decided not to tell the council about their vision. Bastila was suddenly stopped by Master Kavar.

"Except you, Padawan. The council needs to see you for another…important matter."

A confused Bastila stopped and looked once at the council and then back at Revan. Revan nodded at her and whispered goodbye to her. As he left, Bastila turned to face the council, unsure of whether or not to be nervous. She hoped they were not aware of the fact that she and Revan were hiding something.

"Padawan Bastila," began Kavar. "Another matter has come to our attention concerning you."

* * *

Revan was led by another Jedi through the academy. At last they came to a section of dormitories, where they stopped at a closed door. Revan's Jedi escort pressed a button on a panel beside the door and spoke into the intercom. 

"Quaid, Revan is here to see you."

"Send him in," replied a voice over the speaker.

The escort motioned with his head toward the door. "He's waiting for you inside."

"Thank you," replied Revan and he opened the door. He slowly stepped into the dormitory and the door closed behind him. It was a simple room, with rude furnishings set about. Revan noticed an empty bed at his left, but that was not what he focused on. In front of him lay a small table next to which sat two chairs. One of the chairs held a man who was sitting calmly at the table, eyeing him.

Revan stammered for a moment, unable to gather his words. At last he pulled up the second chair and sat across from him.

"Hello, old friend," he said.


	6. Chapter 5: A Friend's Tale

Statement: The meatbag writing this story does not own Star Wars.

**Chapter 5: A Friend's Tale**

Bastila stood nervously before the council as she felt their eyes watching her. A moment of silence passed. Finally, Master Kavar spoke up.

"Padawan, you have been a member of this order practically your whole life. Your entire life has been a trial. We recognize your abilities and are grateful for your loyalty to the order."

Master Vandar joined. "You have been through much, more than most would in a lifetime. You have learned more lessons than most would in a lifetime."

Bastila felt a mixture of nervousness and pride as she listened to their words. She wondered where this was going.

"Even after your fall to the dark side, you came back and remained as faithful to the light as ever," said Vandar. "As such, Padawan, you have learned much and have grown stronger in your abilities. As you continue your path, you will only grow stronger in the force and in the mind."

Kavar resumed speaking. "Therefore, Padawan, we feel you are not worthy of that lowly title any more."

Bastila stomach rise as she heard these words. She braced herself and held her breath at what would come next.

"Padawan Bastila, it is the council's and my honor to announce your movement up the ranks of the Jedi. Tomorrow, you shall be dubbed as a Knight of the Jedi order."

Bastila could barely contain her excitement. All these years, all these hardships and training finally paid off.

Vrook finally spoke up with a hint of frustration in his voice. Of the numerous masters present, he seemed to be the only one who resented the situation. "However, do not let your ego swell by this announcement. Pride leads to the dark side, and you would do well to not let this go to your head."

Bastila nodded, though Vrook's words did nothing to lessen her spirit.

"Tomorrow, you shall be knighted at midday," Atris told her.

Finally the council dismissed her, and a glowing Bastila exited the chamber. She could barely contain herself. Finally, she would be a Knight! Her wide grin caught the attention of the two sentries at the doorway. When she noticed them she only smirked in return and walked off. She couldn't wait to tell Revan.

After Bastila left, Kavar addressed the council. "This meeting is adjourned."

"Kavar, Vandar, I would like to speak with you both, privately," said Vrook sternly. Kavar and the tiny Master nodded in response.

"I must return to the archives," said Atris, the council's historian. As she left Master Vash followed her. The rest of the Masters scattered and headed off to their own destinations.

* * *

Revan stared at the man who sat across him. He was slightly older than Revan, only by about three or four years. His brown hair practically reached to his shoulders, with some wisps of it hanging in front of his face. Traces of sideburns showed on his face, giving him a rugged look. 

Quaid Darin, the exile, stared calmly back at him with calm green eyes. Finally, after a moment of tension, the exile spoke.

"It has been what, five years?"

"More or less," Revan responded.

"I never would have thought I'd ever speak to you again. So much has happened since then…"

"I have my ways of sticking around." Revan leaned forward. "It's good to see you again, old friend."

"The feeling is mutual, Revan." The exile straightened in his chair. "What has happened to you over these years? I feel I have missed much."

"Where have you been all these years?"

"After my exile I spent most of my time on the outer rim after your disappearance. News did not really reach these worlds, so I had little knowledge of what had transpired in my absence. I did not find out until much later that you had returned to the Republic."

"Quaid, what did you need to see me for?" asked Revan, no longer able to dodge his purpose for being there.

"Is it unusual that I merely wanted to talk to an old friend?"

"That's not the only reason."

"Ah, perceptive as ever. Well, Revan, the council, as they probably told you, needed you to know all that has happened. They felt, as well as I, that you needed to be told from me. Besides, if it's any consolation to you, I really did want to talk with you again, just for old times' sake."

"I believe you," Revan assured him. "But I must ask you, what happened at Peragus? This incident as caused major repercussions throughout the Republic."

"I'll tell you exactly what I told the council: I did not do it."

"But what happened? And what of your companions? I hear a Jedi Master was with you-"

"I will tell you everything, old friend, although you will no doubt have questions."

"Please, go on."

"Well, as I said earlier, I spent my time on some remote worlds along the edge of the outer rim. Most of these worlds had little or no connections with the Republic." Revan nodded as he listened to Quaid.

"A few years late, I heard rumors of a 'terrible battle' raging in the Republic. Words like 'Jedi' and 'Sith' were flung around, but what caught my attention was the mention of your name." Quaid noticed Revan wince slightly. "Upon hearing this, I realized I had to find out what was going on. Unfortunately, I had no way of knowing exactly _when_ these events happened. As I said, news traveled slowly. I spent most of my time after that trying to reenter Republic space. Finally, I managed to get a ship and headed for the Republic. Unfortunately, my shuttle was seized by a Republic ship, the Harbinger."

That name sounded familiar to Revan. He listened silently as the exile continued. "The Harbinger had been looking for 'Sith deserters'. They did not find any, but they found us."

"Us?" Revan asked.

"It was on this ship that I met their other captive, Master Kreia. She, too, had tried to reenter the Republic. From what she told me, she had fought in the Mandalorian wars. After its end, she spent most of her time living as a hermit along the outer rim. Finally she sought to return after she had heard the news of your return."

"However, we found out that the war had already ended, and that the Sith had been defeated. Kreia and I still had no knowledge of what had happened, as the officers told us nothing. They claimed they would brief us when we returned to the Republic, but that never happened."

"What happened?"

"The Harbinger headed to Peragus to refuel, but we were intercepted by a Sith ship. Our own ship had no time to respond. During the battle, a blast hit my quarters and I fell unconscious. When I awakened again, I was in a kolto tank on Peragus."

Revan felt himself sink as he heard these words. So the Sith had indeed grown bolder. "Then What?" asked Revan.

Quaid continued, "I escaped from the tank and found Kreia in the medical bay. Some Republic soldiers managed to escape and took us both to Peragus in an escape pod. Unfortunately, the Sith hijacked the Harbinger and tracked us there. When they arrived, a squad of Sith troops assaulted the miners in their search for us."

"Wait," said Revan. "What kind of Sith were these?"

"These were not ordinary Sith soldiers. They used no blasters, as blasters in Peragus is as dangerous as playing ball with a thermal detonator." He lowered his voice as he spoke his next words. "These were Sith assassins. Well trained, I might add."

Revan shuddered. This was worse than he thought. The fact that Sith assassins were being used meant the Sith were more organized than he had hoped.

Quaid continued his solemn story. "They went throughout the facility, slaughtering the miners as they went. Any survivors of the Harbinger they found they killed even more viciously. When Kreia and I found out something was wrong, it was too late. Most of the miners were dead. We fled as the assassins were searching for us. In the midst of this battle, Kreia and I found a pilot named Atton Rand who had been a prisoner there for some 'minor charges'. As neither of us were pilots, we freed him in exchange for him flying us out of there."

He paused suddenly. Revan queried him as to what was wrong. The exile continued slowly.

"We ran into the misfortune of meeting their leader. We encountered him as we were fleeing. He was…horrible. He resembled a walking corpse. His skin was grey and cracked, bearing multiple wounds. It seemed as if only the dark side was holding him together. He called himself Darth Sion."

This deeply disturbed Revan. He stammered for something to say. All that came out was, "How did you escape?"

"Kreia held him off for us to escape. Atton and I found a shuttle in the hangar. Just as we were about to take off, Kreia made it back to the ship. She suffered a bad lightsaber wound to her side. Apparently, he left her for dead after he wounded her, which allowed her to escape. The three of us were able to flee in the shuttle. Unfortunately, as we fled, the hijacked Harbinger fired on us. Right as we made it to hyperspace, one of the stray shots hit an asteroid, and the entire system exploded."

"And just how did you end up on Telos?"

"Telos was the nearest planet in Republic space. We thought that we would be able to go there to refuel and resupply, but that never happened. The Telosian authorities arrested us to see if we were responsible for the system's destruction. Of course, I told them the truth, but they were hesitant to listen. The authorities on Telos were not the brightest of their kind. When Admiral Onasi learned of our captivity, he had us transferred here on Coruscant. The council found no guilt in us so Master Kreia and I were released. And so, here I am."

Revan just sat silent for a moment. This all was very hard for him to take in. As Quaid predicted, many questions raced through his mind. "Where are your companions?" he asked.

"She is staying in her own quarters here. You should talk to her later. As for Atton, he's still being held prisoner in the academy still. If I were you, I would talk to him also, though you'll likely want to shove his pazaak deck down his throat before long. He really likes to whine. The entire time, all he did was moan and complain about practically anything he could think of. I swear I was tempted to leave him on Peragus."

"Ah, he was that pleasant a person, eh?"

Quaid chuckled slightly at Revan's comment. "I will tell you one thing: I don't trust him. He's a very evasive person," Quaid warned.

"Well, I'll have to talk to both of them," said Revan. He looked up at the exile. "Now, I believe you want to know what happened after you left?" Quaid nodded. "Well," said Revan, "It began with…"

He told the exile of all that had happened. He told of his rise as the Sith Lord and his eventual fall at the hands of his apprentice, Malak. He told of his memory wipe and his quest for the Star Forge. He told of Bastila, Carth, and all his companions on his quest. He slowly spun the tale of Bastila's fall, his revelation of being the dark lord, and his eventual defeat of Malak. When he was finished, the exile was dumbfounded with shock and awe.

"So you don't remember anything as being the Sith Lord?" Quaid asked him.

"No, but I do remember you. I remember some of the Mandalorian wars, but I still remember next to nothing of my childhood."

"Amazing. This is just…" he couldn't finish his sentence. "I really have missed out on much."

"What now, Quaid?"

"I don't want to be an exile any longer. I want to follow you again, Revan. Jedi or not, I want to help you and the Republic in any way I can."

"I would welcome whatever help you have to give, old friend. But please, do not place yourself in danger if you have not fully healed yet. I know how badly Malachor V scarred you."

"Malachor V still pains me. I fear it will always pain me, but I'll be damned if I sit idly by and watch as the Sith take over the Republic."

Revan smiled. He deeply admired his strength and his resolve. It reminded him strongly of Bastila. At last he stood up and walked over to the exile, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Very well, Quaid. Whatever your choice is, I will let you make it. But you are tired. I think you should rest and think this over."

"Yes, I think that would be good." As Revan turned to leave the Quaid stopped him. "Revan, could you please put in a word for me to Bastila?"

Revan nodded. "I will do that, friend." He turned and exited the room. A thousand thoughts raced through his head. He needed to find Bastila and tell her, but first he had to talk to someone else.

* * *

"I respect your wisdom, Vrook, but I feel you are mistaken," Vandar told the frustrated Master. Vandar, Vrook, and Kavar walked through the academy, buried in their discussions. 

"Bah," Vrook retorted. "Young Bastila is not ready. Even after her 'redemption' she still walks in the path of pride and arrogance. Even now, she dances on the edge of the dark side."

"Vrook, I fail to see how you draw that conclusion," stated Kavar.

"Just look at her actions. She is weak. She gives in to her emotions all the time. Look at how she caves in to her feelings for Revan. Those two have openly defied the wisdom of the code in front of the entire order with their love! We have foolishly allowed them to continue their course without administering proper punishment. They are a threat to all we have strived to protect."

Kavar had no choice but to disagree. "I am afraid you are wrong, Vrook. Bastila and Revan are both as loyal to the light as they ever were."

Vandar added, "I believe our dear Bastila was ready to be knighted a long time ago. However, I do not think she felt herself ready in her own mind. After her fall to the dark side, she needed time to heal. That was more important than her becoming a knight." He sighed. "And sometimes I cannot help but wonder if it is our fault many or our own Jedi fall. I sometimes wonder if our code is…flawed."

Vrook turned red. "You dare question the wisdom of the code? You are a Master, and yet you fill your head with such thoughts! Our code is the very backbone of our order. It preserves our very beliefs! The only reason our Jedi fall is that they are too weak to follow the code."

"I am inclined to agree with Vandar, Master Vrook," said Kavar. "Just look at our actions over the years. Never once have we accepted blame for any fallen Jedi. Never once have we stopped to question if we are to blame. As I look at our actions and thoughts, I cannot help but see them filled with arrogance and indifference. Just look at the exile. He came back to us carrying a planet's worth of pain. He was deeply wounded on the inside. Instead of doing what we should have done – consoling him, healing him, lending him compassion – we punished him. We condemned him to live a life of exile. That is why Zez-Kai Ell resigned from our order."

"Zez-Kai Ell was a fool! He refused to condemn the exile for his actions," responded an angry Vrook.

Vandar spoke. "And I was there, too when it happened. I also took part in the exile's punishment. It is a decision I regret to this day. And as for our code, Vrook, I wonder if it is as infallible as you deem it. We preach the lesson 'there is no emotion'. What does this do? Do we mean to turn our Jedi into droids? We teach them to rid themselves of emotion when we should be teaching them to embrace their better emotions, while controlling the _harmful_ ones. The code becomes almost a chain instead of a stepping stone. That is one reason why the Sith seem so appealing. Some Jedi viewed the Sith as freedom – the freedom of emotion and freedom from the code."

"You two are Masters and yet you allow your wisdom to falter like this! I for one am through with this conversation. Hold whatever foolish ideas you like. Maybe one day, you will come to light and see that I am right." With this, Vrook stormed off angrily, while Vandar and Kavar stayed behind, watching him solemnly.

Kavar looked down at Vandar. "Master Vandar, I sometimes fear he…"

"I fear it too, Kavar. I pray that his feelings do not get the better of him."

* * *

Master Atris knelt silently in the room. Surrounding her were thousands of holocrons along the walls. These were the academy's archives. In them was the history of the order, the Republic, and the teachings of Jedi and Sith alike. She sighed as she gazed at her surroundings. So much had happened in recent months. The destruction of Katarr, the return of the exile, the destruction of Peragus and now the return of the Sith. As each day passed, she seemed to feel more and more tired. Even still, with all that had happened, something else continued to occupy her thoughts. Atris stood up and walked nervously up to a particular holocron. She activated it sprang to life, revealing its records. 

As Atris examined this, Master Vash came up from behind her wearing a concerned expression. "Master Atris, your thoughts are troubled. What disturbs you?"

Atris looked up and spoke without turning to face her companion. "A historian's life is a lonely one, Vash. To sit here with these ancient secrets and teachings can be quite…tiring." She sighed. "I trust you, too, are troubled at recent events. With the Sith and the return of the exile and Master Kreia, the force has given us much to think about."

"What are you thinking about?" asked Vash.

"I...come look at this, Vash." She pointed to the holocron that lit up before her. Vash stood beside Atris and examined the holocron. The data appeared, showing records of what appeared to be a trial that took place over 1000 years ago. "This is the trial of one called Knight Arturus," explained Vash. "He caused quite a rift in the order long ago. And yet, this holocron is…damaged. Incomplete."

"Why is that? What was his crime?"

"Arturus was put on trial for a crime which the holocron does not specify. Records of his trial are extremely vague. It indicates that someone else was tried with him, yet it does not specify who. Certain pieces of the puzzle are missing. Some data are corrupted, others are missing. It almost seems as if the council _wanted_ his trial to remain a secret. I know not why, but this has been occupying my thoughts lately. I find myself pondering this puzzle more and more often. Now why in the force would I suddenly be so troubled over a forgotten incident that happened a millennium ago? I wonder if the force is telling me something."

"Please, Atris, do not strain yourself. If it is a matter you feel is important, you can always bring it to the council." Vash spoke as she tried to consol Atris.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Thank you for your concern, Vash. I must meditate on this."

"As you wish, Atris. If you ever need me or a member of the council, we will do all we can to help."

"Thank you, Vash."

* * *

Revan at last found the room he had been looking for. He reached up to press the doorbell but before he could a voice responded from the intercom. 

"You may come in, Revan," said a voice belonging to an old woman.

Revan paused nervously. After a moment he opened the door and walked into a dormitory similar to the exile's. On the floor to his right sat a hooded figure, her head lowered in meditation.

"Greetings, my dear Knight. You come with questions?" asked the hooded figure.

"Greetings, Master Kreia," responded Revan. He performed a bow of respect but felt slightly absurd when he remembered she was not watching him. He walked up and knelt down in front of her so that they could see eye-to-eye. "Master Kreia, are you alright? I was told you were wounded."

"My flesh has healed, if that is what you mean. But that is of no importance." She looked at him at last, revealing her white, blind eyes. "So much has happened. No doubt you know what happened at Peragus. You wish to know what happened to me."

"I thought you were dead. What happened to you after the Mandalorian wars?" Revan queried.

"Many people's lives were changed after the wars. After the destruction of Malachor V I needed time to myself. Like many, I had grown disgusted with the actions of the council."

"But you were a member of the council."

"Was I? Do you assume that all members were alike in opinion and belief? No. I urged them to fight, yet they sat idly by. Perhaps they had fallen into apathy after so many years of sending their Padawans to do their bidding. You probably held the same opinion of them."

Revan winced. It seemed no matter where he went his past was always brought up.

"I resigned from the council before the wars even began. They were no longer worthy of my troubles. After the war, I wanted nothing to do with them. I did, however, long to return when I heard news of your actions."

"I am not proud of what I did," said Revan, aware of the fact that she had referred to his rise as Sith Lord.

"Of course you're not. You have learned so much though, and that you should be proud of. You are not like the rest of the Jedi, you know. You do not see things as they do. I feel you will only grow stronger with time." She paused for a moment. "Now is not the time to be discussing this. More will be revealed in time. For now, you have things you need to do." Revan bowed in acknowledgement and left the room, leaving Kreia to her meditations.

* * *

"Please state the name of your vessel, sir," said the worker at the docks. 

"For crying out loud, I just told you!" said an angry male voice.

"Could you please state it again?"

"Why do dock clerks have to be so aggravating? Is it your job?"

The clerk ignored him and asked again. "Please state the name of your vessel and your business."

"Alright, for the fiftieth time, my vessel's name is Wookie 5, and I am visiting an old friend. Is that enough for you, or do you want to waste more of my time?"

"Just state your name and you're done."

"Alright, alright! The name's Bindo. Jolee Bindo. Are we done now?"

"Yes, sir, you may go."

* * *

After an eternity of searching, Revan at last found Bastila in the academy. Upon seeing Revan, she ran up to him and hugged him without word. Revan, stunned at the sudden outburst of affection, forgot completely what he was about to tell her. 

"What happened?" he asked her. "Why are you so happy to see me all of a sudden.?"

"Oh, Revan, this is wonderful! I made it! I finally made it!"

"What? What happened?" he asked again as he excitement started to rub off on him.

"Revan, the council's going to promote me! I am going to be a Knight!"

"Oh, Bastila, that's wonderful! When are you being knighted?"

"Tomorrow! Isn't this wonderful Revan?"

"Of course it is. Congratulations, princess." Bastila ignored the term and planted a kiss on his lips.

"Oh, please, get a room, guys!" yelled a young Twi'lek voice. The two lovers turned to see Mission running toward them with Juhani at her side.

Bastila blushed slightly. She quickly tried to change the subject. "Hello, Mission. Did Juhani show you the academy?"

"It was great! I love this place! Juhani showed me the room of a thousand fountains! That place was just amazing!"

"Glad you like it, Mission." Revan turned to Juhani. "Did Mission stay out of trouble?" he smiled on the inside, knowing Mission hated being treated like a child.

"Hey, Rev, I'm not a kid! I'm sixteen years old!" protested Mission.

Juhani giggled. "She was fine. Tell me, how did your meeting go?"

"Great. Bastila's going to be a Knight."

"That is great, Bastila! When will you be knighted?"

"Tomorrow at midday," Bastila told her.

"Alright, Bastila!" Mission paused and looked as if she remembered something important. "Hey guys, I like this place, but I need to get back the Ebon Hawk."

"Whatever for?" asked Bastila.

"Um, something important," said Mission, which meant she wanted to keep it a secret. Revan sensed she wasn't up to anything mischievous, so he decided to let her go.

"Alright. Bastila, would you like to take Mission back? I have some things I need to do here."

"Of course, Revan. Farewell." Basila blew a kiss and she and Mission walked off. Juhani returned her attention to Revan.

"I must be going, too. It was great to see you again, Revan. I hope we can talk later."

"Thank you, Juhani. See you at Bastila's ceremony!"

The Cathar waved goodbye and left. Revan was at last alone. He decided he would tell Bastila later about his conversation with the exile and Master Kreia. For now, he had some very important business to do and some important people to see. A huge smile spread over his face, and he dashed off.

* * *

Meanwhile, on Dantooine, something stirred. In a forgotten place, a forgotten presence brooded. 

"_They may have left, but they will return," _it thought_. "I can see it. I can feel it. And when they return, I shall be free."

* * *

_

Whew! So, what do you think? If this chapter was confusing, please tell me. I don't want this to be a head-scratcher. And just for the record, more familiar faces will be appearing later. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but it will continue. I do intend to complete this story and give it an ending, unlike those fools at Obsidian. (Darth Vader force chokes Chris Avellone) "I find your lack of good storytelling disturbing." Okay, I promise I won't complain about KOTOR II again. Really!


	7. Chapter 6: Discoveries

Waygate + Tinuviel: As for this being an exile/Visas fic, this chapter should answer some of your questions. ; ) It was originally supposed to be one chapter but I had to do it in two.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**Chapter 6: Discoveries**

_It was noon on Dantooine. The sun shone brightly against the landscape, illuminating the Jedi Academy in a brilliant golden hue. The place was busy with activity. Jedi of all ages gathered within its walls, busy with completing their daily activities. Among these Jedi, a little girl with shoulder-length black hair was darting to and fro throughout the enclave. She seemed to be looking for someone. Finally she came to a small, isolated room and found another girl with dark brown hair sitting in the middle of the floor. Upon seeing her, the black-haired girl spoke up to get her attention._

"_Hey, Bastila, what are you doing there?" she asked with mild sarcasm. Closer inspection of the black-haired girl revealed a set of milky-white eyes. She was blind. _

_Bastila awoke from her meditations and turned to the doorway to face her. "Visas, I'm meditating. Master Vrook said I should meditate."_

"_Meditating? All you ever do is meditate! Come on, let's go outside."_

"_But Master Vrook said-"_

"_Bastila, you can meditate any time! Come on, we don't have any more lessons today. Let's do something fun, for once!"_

"_But Visas, Master Vrook told me I'm too passionate. He says I need to do this to calm my emotions."_

"_You know what? Fine. You can stay there and meditate until you grow cobwebs. As for me, I'm going exploring." She turned and headed toward the academy exit._

_Young Bastila glanced nervously first at the floor and then at the shrinking form of Visas. Finally, she stood up and called out, "Hey, Visas, wait up!"_

_Visas halted in her path and a triumphant smile spread over her face. "I thought you had to meditate," she said to Bastila when she finally caught up. _

"_Oh, meditating is boring. Let's go outside!" The two young apprentices ran off together. _

_Bastila was only ten years old, and Visas was almost two years older than she. Visas was a Miraluka – a unique, force-sensitive species that sees everything through the force. As such, they have no use for normal vision. Visas had come from her colony of Katarr to the academy when she was six, about the same age Bastila joined. The two apprentices became fast friends during their training at the enclave. _

It pained Visas to think of such times. The joy and vibrancy of her youth had gone, and in there place lingered malice and suffering. Visas remembered her old self and could hardly believe she was the same person. Then again, nothing was really the same for Visas after the destruction of her world. She was there when the tragedy happened. They were all wiped out by a threat they should have seen coming, but didn't.

All her warm memories – the ones of the academy, of Bastila, and the Jedi Masters (except for Vrook) – were buried under memories of horror and darkness. She still remembered the dead bodies, the eerie silence, and the lack of life. For Visas, the experience was like going deaf or becoming devoid of feeling. Only she was left alive, and now she served the very being who destroyed her home.

Her surroundings were a bare, ominous looking room which served as her dormitory. Actually, it was more of a cell than a dormitory. She resided on a ship appropriately named "The Ravager", the flagship of her master. She was kept there when he summoned her. The rest of her time was spent living along the outer rim on isolated planets devoid of life. She had grown to hate life, mostly thanks to her master. He had shown her the true nature of life – and why it must be destroyed.

Visas sat on the floor, meditating to herself when she felt a dark sensation in the force around her. Her master was calling. She stood and approached a small table on which lay a dark crimson veil. She tied her shoulder-length black hair up in place and placed the veil over her head, covering her blind eyes. Not desiring to keep her master waiting, she hurried out of her cell toward the bridge of the ship.

* * *

The bridge of The Ravager was an ominous thing to behold. Shadows hung everywhere, and that which was not dark was illuminated in an eerie yellow light. Two rows of slaves, busily working at consoles, filled up two rows on either side of the bridge. At the very end was a huge port revealing the space beyond. In front of the window stood a tall, dark figure clothed in deep black robes looking out into space. 

The door to the bridge opened and a corpse-like man entered. His grey flesh was cracked and scarred all over, and the flesh around his one eye was gone, revealing a pale white orb. Darth Sion. He steadily approached the tall, dark figure near the window until he was within a few feet of it.

"Lord Nihilus," said Sion in his inhuman voice, "I have met with Darth Traya as you commanded." At last Darth Nihilus turned to face Sion, revealing a pale white mask with two huge, black eyeholes and streaks of red on both sides.

"_Has she done as I commanded?_" Nihilus's very words seemed to darken the atmosphere. If Sion's voice was inhuman, then Nihilus's voice was demonic.

"Yes, my lord. She has infiltrated the Jedi ranks. The fools are too blinded by arrogance to see our plans." Sion ceased his speech for a moment as Nihilus stared coldly at him with his unseen eyes. "My lord," he resumed, "Our assassins have returned from their raid on Dantooine."

"_Were they discovered?_"

"No, my lord, but they found something I think you will be very interested in."

"_Then do not waste my time, Sion. Bring them to me at once."_ Sion nodded. Within a moment a group of three assassins dressed in masks and black robes entered the bridge.

"Lord Nihlus," said the lead assassin. "We bring you a gift from Dantooine. We found it in Master Trusk's tomb. The Jedi, it seems, wanted this to remain a secret."

"_Show me,"_ said Nihilus with impatience growing in his voice. The assassin responded by pulling out an old, worn-out holocron. He pressed the button to activate it and it slowly hummed to life. Its data displayed the records of a long-forgotten trial, and an image appeared of the ancient Jedi Master Trusk. Unlike the one on Coruscant, however, this one was undamaged and complete.

"We buried his creation with him," said the image of Master Trusk. "I only pray this is never discovered. (static) We discovered before its demise that it could drain the force from its surroundings – including living beings." It went on speaking.

Nihilus regarded its data with mild curiosity. A sound that may have been laughter escaped his mouth. He shifted his attention to Sion and the assassins.

"_So, the ancient legend is true after all. The Jedi's secret will become their undoing. You have done well, my servants. This new discovery will prove very useful to us. Send a squad of assassins to Dantooine at once. I want that relic brought to me, Sion. Try to remain undiscovered, but slaughter any who stand in your way."_

"As you command, my Lord." Sion and the assassins bowed and left the bridge.

Nihilus stood alone and waited patiently for his apprentice, his top assassin, to arrive. Finally, the small form of Visas appeared in the entrance. She approached him nervously, trying not to show fear. She stood before him and bowed.

"My lord, you sent for me?" she asked humbly.

"_Have you felt that disturbance in the force, slave?" _he asked her coldly.

"Yes, I have. It was but a small echo at first, but it grew louder with each moment."

"_Our enemies have awakened. They now move to stop us before we can strike. A lost member of their order has returned to them, bearing news of our presence."_

"You mean, the exile, master? Do you believe he is a threat to-" her speech was cut off as an invisible hand wrenched her throat. She put her hands to her neck, desperately gasping for air as she was slowly force-lifted off the ground. She gasped, "My – my lord, y-you are the scourge that brings death to all who oppose you. In your hands, all life is your slave."

Nihilus sent Visas down hard onto the floor. Almost as an afterthought, he sent a wave of force lightning through her body. Visas desperately struggled to not cry out in pain, not wanting to appear weak before her master. All that escaped was a pained moan. She submissively knelt before him on all fours.

"Master, none can challenge your power," she whimpered. "All life dies before your onslaught and my…my life is yours. Please…let me die."

"_Arise, foolish apprentice. I still have use for you."_ Visas painfully stood up before the Sith lord. _"No, I spoke of more than the exile, but that is of no importance. Sion is leading a squad of assassins to Dantooine to recover a 'relic' for me. I fear, however, that they may be discovered because of his recklessness. If so, the Jedi will send others to stop him. That must not be allowed to happen. You will go to Dantooine and kill any Jedi who try to interfere. Do you understand, slave?"_

"Yes, master. I will do as you ask."

"_Good. Now leave." _

She hurried out of the bridge. Thoughts raced through her head as she reflected on her new task. Killing Jedi was an expertise of hers, yet she felt a sense of foreboding about this mission. For a split second, she thought of her old friend, Bastila, and hoped she would not have to face her. No doubt Bastila thought Visas died on Katarr along with the rest of the Miraluka.

"But I did die on Katarr…" thought Visas as she returned to her cell.

After Visas left, Nihilus shifted his gaze once again to the reaches of space before him. He beheld the stars, the suns, and the many planets that would feed his power. _"All life will fall before my hunger,"_ he thought. _"With the Jedi's secret I will wield power unstoppable against them, and their forces will fall as they fuel my power. I shall devour this galaxy from the inside out… until it is a hollow shell."

* * *

_

Bastila sat quietly on the shuttle as it transported Mission and her to the docks which held the Ebon Hawk. Most of the time Mission spent talking about her tour of the Jedi academy. When she told Bastila everything she could she sat silently and stared out a window.

"Mission, why did you want to return to the Ebon Hawk so quickly?" Bastila asked her after a moment of silence.

"Mmm…Oh, what?" said Mission as she shifted her attention away from the window. "Um, I just really want to finish something I've been working on with T3. I just want to finish it by tomorrow."

"Oh really? What is it?" asked Bastila with mild curiosity.

"Uh, I can't tell you that. It's kind of a surprise." Mission noticed Bastila raise an eyebrow at her. Mission raised her hands in response, trying to look innocent. "I promise it's not anything bad! It's not something that'll blow up or make you stink for a week, I swear!"

"Alright, Mission." Bastila knew very well of Mission's mischievous nature, but also sensed that she was telling the truth. Mission glanced from the floor to Bastila as a faint smile appeared on her face.

"Hey Bastila, what's Revan doing back there, anyway?"

"At the academy? I don't know. That man can be so unpredictable sometimes."

"Yeah, but at least you can count on him always being there for you. You know, you're lucky to have someone so close to you and willing to do so much for you."

"Oh, really?"

"Oh come on, Bastila. Revan would leap down a rancor's throat for you – and crawl out the other end just to get back to you."

A giggle escaped Bastila's mouth. "I know," she whispered. Deep down, she knew she would do the same for him.

"Oh, look. We're here," said Mission as the shuttle slowed to a stop. "Come on, we'd better make sure HK-47 hasn't started shooting at random dock workers, yet."

* * *

Revan was just about to leave the academy when a voice stopped him from behind. 

"You there – just where do you think you're going?"

Revan instantly recognized the voice and his heart sank. It was Vrook. He turned to face the master. "I am leaving the enclave. I have business to attend to."

"By 'business' I hope you mean Admiral Onasi. I certainly hope you don't plan on fooling around with that foolish Padawan."

"Yes, Master Vrook, I do intend to meet with Admiral Onasi, as you commanded. As for this 'Padawan' – whom I know is Bastila – I'm afraid that is none of your business."

"Such arrogance." Master Vrook's face flushed red. "You continue to besmirch this order with your actions. Because of you and your 'love', are own Jedi are beginning to doubt the code. You will cause irreparable damage to all we believe in as long as you remain in the order."

"I fail to see how love can pose a danger to the order. Love is what saved me from falling back to the dark side. Love is what brought Bastila back to the light. It was because of that we were able to achieve victory over the Sith."

"Humph. And see what your 'love' has brought. What – you were expecting thanks for what you did on the Star Forge?"

"No, I wasn't," said Revan through gritted teeth.

"And you should expect none! All you did was clean up a mess you made. Even still, you have failed to undo all the damage you caused as the Sith Lord. And now, the very Sith you commanded are regrouping."

"We can still stop the Sith, master." Revan spoke the last word with contempt. "And we cannot help ourselves by this internal bickering. I must leave." Revan turned to exit the academy.

"Bah! If it were up to me, you and Bastila both would have been expelled from the order long ago! Go on and leave. I have no use for you here."

Revan stormed off with his fists clenched in anger. He struggled to contain his fury at Vrook's words. Of all the council members, he was the most arrogant and critical. Why did he have to be such an ignorant slime? He constantly berated others for their faults while refusing to see his own. Every time Vrook saw Revan or Bastila he chided them without end. He had grown gradually more hostile toward them ever since they returned to the order at the end of the war.

"Calm down," Revan said to himself. "Control yourself. He can't help it. It's his nature to be an arrogant Bantha turd. Think of Bastila." Revan gradually vented his frustration as he walked. He pondered how Vrook ever was elected as a council member. "They probably did it so he would stop whining," thought Revan. He laughed at this idea.

As he traversed the walkway he heard someone shout at him. "Hey, kid! What do you think you're doing?"

Revan immediately faced the direction the voice came from. His jaw practically fell off when he glimpsed the unmistakable form of Jolee Bindo approaching.

"Jolee! Jolee Bindo!" Revan ran up to greet his old (no pun intended) friend. "You old coot! Where have you been?"

"Oh, you know random places. Seeing the galaxy. Had to go somewhere to wash the stench of wookie out of my robes."

"Ha ha. What in the force are you doing here?" Seeing Jolee Bindo made Revan forget all about Master Vrook.

"Well, I just had enough of wandering the regions for a while, I guess. I just wanted to check up on you and make sure you were staying out of trouble!"

"Really? Just how did you find me?"

"Come on, kid, this is Coruscant! It's a hotbed for Jedi. I figured you'd be here with the council seeing as what's happened recently with Peragus and the Sith and whatnot. Sure enough, I felt your presence here when I landed."

"Well hey, it's great to see you again, old geezer," joked Revan.

"Old geezer! Come on, I don't look a day over twenty!" Jolee was not above jokes either. "Anyway, I just thought I'd ask you, what are you up to now?"

"It's a long story. You sure you want to here it?"

"I'm old, for crying out loud! I love long stories."

As the two walked together, Revan told Jolee of all that had happened recently. He told him of his recent reunion with Mission and Carth. He spoke of the exile and Master Kreia and his meeting with the council right up to Bastila's knighting ceremony, all while Jolee listened with mild enthusiasm.

"So, Bastila's going to be a knight, eh? About time. You can tell her I said congratulations."

"Thanks, Jolee."

"By the way, where is the little lady, anyway?"

"She's on the Ebon Hawk with Mission."

"Oh? Why aren't you with her?"

"Well, I just had to do some things."

Jolee instantly grew suspicious. "Come on kid, what are you up to? You never did tell me what you were doing when I found you."

"Alright, alright. Just promise you won't tell Bastila, okay?"

"What, are you buying her a present?"

"Kind of. It's a…" he whispered it into Jolee's ear. Jolee's eyes widened to the width of comets.

"Well, well, well. So you really intend to go through with it."

Revan nodded. "Actually, I've been planning it for a while, but I really think tomorrow will a great time for it. I just want to hurry up and select one before her ceremony tomorrow. Got any advice you think I should here?"

"My advice? My advice is go for it. You don't meet a woman like Bastila every millennium, you know. Let me tell you something." He put an arm around the back of Revan's neck. "Impressing women is like breaking into a weapon's cache. It takes skill and strategy, and sometimes you need some thorium charges. They're also a little like fish. Don't ever let a good catch slip through your net. Just always remember how lucky you are to have a girl who loves you as she does."

"Point taken, Jolee."

"Do you have any ideas as to what she might like?" Jolee asked him.

"I have an idea. I wouldn't be a good lover if I didn't have at least some clue."

"Well, what do you say I help you select one now? I have plenty of time."

"Alright. There should be a good place nearby to get one."

At last, the two Jedi arrived at a store above which stood a sign which read "Zorbrak's Jewelers".

* * *

A long while later Jolee and an satisfied-looking Revan emerged from the store with a small package. Revan let loose a breath of relief. 

"Well, I'm glad that's over with. All I can say is, she had better like it," said Jolee.

"I think we'll be fine. If I know Bastila, which I do, she'll be satisfied."

"What do you want to do now? You have to sneak it into your ship somehow."

"That won't be hard." Revan glanced at the time. "I don't want to return just yet, though. I should really meet with Admiral Onasi, but I think I'm going to do that tomorrow before her knighting ceremony. What do you say you and I hit the cantina for a while? We can talk some more there."

"Sounds good to me. I haven't had a good drink in weeks!"

"Hold up. Let me just call Bastila and tell her what's going on."

"Alright, just don't take too long. I've seen how long you two can talk."

Revan pressed a button on his communicator and the transmission was sent. A second later, the soft voice of Bastila answered.

"Yes, Revan, what is it?"

"Hey, Bastila, I'm just letting you know that I won't be back at the Ebon Hawk for a while."

"Why so?"

"I'm meeting with an old friend of ours. Do you remember an old kath hound by the name of Jolee Bindo?"

"Jolee Bindo? Revan, that's wonderful! Tell him I said hello."

"Hello to you, too, Bastila," said Jolee.

"How are things at the Ebon Hawk?" asked Revan.

"Everything's fine. Mission's playing around with T3. HK-47 is just being a nuisance, as always."

A mechanical voice cut in over the communicator. "Objection: A nuisance! Need I remind you that I am a highly-sophisticated and fully functional assassination protocol droid? I have far too many uses to be labeled a 'nuisance'. Mockery: And at least my posterior is not so overly-swollen that it poses an obstacle to others' paths."

Bastila resumed speaking. "Revan, my love, please do not be too long. I would hate to have to turn your favorite droid into a red pile of scrap metal."

"Alright, Bastila, I'll do that. You should try to get some sleep. You have a big day, tomorrow," Revan replied.

"I'll do that, Revan. Bye."

"Objection: To turn a highly capable droid such as I into scrap would be such a waste of useful protocols, don't you agree, master? My talents at meatbag extermination are unparalleled and I-"

"Bye, princess," said Revan and he switched off the communicator. "Ready, old geezer?" he asked Jolee.

"I've been ready, kid. Let's go."

* * *

Uneventful, I admit, but Chapter 7 will be here very soon. 


	8. Chapter 7: Ceremonies

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter 7: Ceremonies**

After hours of talking and drinking with Jolee in the cantina, Revan departed bid farewell to him and returned to the Ebon Hawk. Upon arriving he found Bastila and Mission had already fallen asleep, and he decided to do the same. Revan thanked the force that he was able to sneak Bastila's "present" into the ship so easily.

With everything that had to be done the next day, Revan decided to wake up early. Mission and Bastila hadn't awoken yet, so Revan left a message in T3 telling them where he was going. After leaving the Ebon Hawk he departed on a shuttle toward the Republic enclave, where he hoped to meet with Admiral Onasi. At the Republic enclave he was greeted by a sleepy-looking receptionist at a desk.

"What is your business here, Master Jedi?" he asked groggily.

"I seek to speak with Admiral Onasi, if he is able."

"Yes, he's been expecting you – Revan, I believe?" The clerk spoke his name while trying to mask a mixture of awe and fear. Yes, the scars of the past ran deep.

"I am he," Revan told him, trying not to sound imposing. He had no desire to instill more fear in this man than he already had, but on the inside Revan smirked at the benefits of being a former Sith. Some people, although definitely not most people, treated you with unusual respect.

"I'll notify him of your arrival. Uh, you may have to wait a few minutes, though. He's a little busy at the moment. You may take a seat until he's ready to speak with you."

Revan sat down in one of the nearby seats and waited patiently for Carth to call him in. Revan noticed the clerk shifting uneasily in his seat and sensed his nervousness. It seemed that being in the same room with a former Sith Lord was not something the clerk was accustomed to. Minutes passed by, and Revan began to wonder what Carth was doing that held him up so long. Finally, after half an hour of waiting, Revan was summoned.

"Admiral Onasi is ready to see you," said the sleepy clerk. "Hey – are you asleep?"

"Hmm…what?" asked Revan, who had indeed almost drifted off. "I'm awake."

"Sure. This guard here will escort you to the Admiral." An armed Republic soldier had stepped into the room. "Sorry for the inconvenience."

Revan replied, "No problem," and left the room with the guard. He was lead down the wide corridors of the enclave, passing Republic soldiers and utility droids along the way. At last they arrived at a large doorway. Revan stepped through the door and beheld a fairly large room with moderate furnishings. At the other side of the room was a large desk in which sat Admiral Onasi. He regarded Revan with a nod and motioned for him to sit down in a chair across from him. Revan complied and sat down across from his friend.

"Well, you look cheerful this morning," Carth remarked.

"Look who's talking," retorted Revan.

"Sorry I kept you waiting so long, but I kind of had my hands full with something."

"Telos," guessed Revan.

Carth nodded. "Yeah, things aren't looking to good right now. The destruction of Peragus by these new Sith has put a dent in our plans. We still have a moderate fuel supply left, but I doubt it will be enough to continue the project for long. The fights between Czerka and the Ithorian diplomats doesn't help, and thanks to the situation with the exile I've found out that the Telosian authorities are barely competent enough to properly handle things down there."

"I'm sorry, Carth. I wish there was something I could do."

"Well, let's not talk about that right now. We have other things to worry about." He quickly changed the subject. "So, I guess you're here because the Jedi council said we needed to talk, right?"

"Yeah. With everything going on we need to start preparing for another armed conflict, it seems."

"As if we needed another one," sighed Carth.

"First, before we go on, I want to ask you something, Carth."

"Shoot."

"I have met with the exile and Master Kreia, but I have yet to see this one called 'Atton Rand'. Why is he still being held?"

"Well, it's kind of complicated. You see, he has a record."

"A record?" asked Revan.

"Well, you see, unlike Kreia and the exile, we know this guy committed a crime. He was arrested at Peragus for trying to smuggle fuel out of the system. Apparently, he had made a deal with some gang on Nar Shadaa to sell them fuel for credits. It didn't really work out, though. We're keeping him here long enough to charge him."

"Any idea what his past is like, Carth?" asked Revan, remembering what Juhani had said of her suspicions regarding Atton.

"That is the peculiar part. He has no files dating after the end of the Mandalorian wars. He was a soldier, alright, but we have no idea what he was doing during the Jedi Civil War. After the war, however, he decides to show up when he's arrested for smuggling."

"So let me guess," said Revan, "You believe he may have worked for the Sith during the Jedi Civil War?"

"Yes, that's pretty much it, although we have no proof of it, and he denies everything. He claims he was just traveling the Republic to get away from the war. Without enough evidence, we may have to release him with smuggling charges instead of treason."

"I don't understand, Carth. Haven't the Jedi helped you determine whether he was a Sith or not?"

"Well, as you already know they've had their hands full with everything that's been happening. Besides, they tend to have this 'moral' objection against forcing others to their will. It's too bad, that force-persuasion technique can really come in handy."

"Maybe I can look into him for you, Carth"

"Are you sure about that, Revan? You probably have a lot on your hands already."

"Not any more than you do. Don't worry, I can manage it." Revan felt a nagging suspicion that there was more to the story than either of them knew.

"Thanks a lot, Revan. You know, I wish more Jedi were like you and Bastila."

Revan rolled his eyes. "Aw, you flatter me."

"No really, I mean it. Oh by the way, I hear Bastila's getting knighted today. I'll try and make to her ceremony, but if I don't, you can tell her I said congratulations."

"Will do, Carth. You know, I ran into Jolee yesterday."

Carth's eyes perked up a bit. "You don't say? I thought the old coot was out wondering the outer rim or something."

"I guess he ran out of credits and decided to leech off of me again," Carth chuckled at Revan's jest. At least Carth still had his sense of humor. "Seriously, though, he's staying on Coruscant for the time being. Maybe you two can talk at Bastila's ceremony if you make it."

Carth shrugged. "Well, I'll try to make it if I can. Sorry to ruin the conversation, but we should discuss what we were supposed to be talking about."

"About what?"

"We are supposed to be coordinating strategy, here, to deal with these Sith. We don't have much time to talk, so let's at least get something accomplished."

Revan grudgingly agreed. After over an hour of discussion, Revan and Carth finally decided to part.

"Well, meet up with me tomorrow and we'll talk some more," said Carth. "I have some more things to do with the damn Telos project, now."

"Very well, Carth. I should be going back to the Academy, anyway." Before he could leave, however, Carth stopped him.

"Hey Revan – can I ask you a question?"

Revan looked back over his shoulder. "Go ahead."

"Are you planning on doing something special for Bastila after her ceremony? I thought it'd be appropriate considering she's going to be knighted, and all."

A smile slid over Revan's face. He faced Carth. "I'm taking her out somewhere tonight, sure, but that's not all I'm doing."

"Come on, what are you planning?"

Revan just remained silent for a moment. Finally, "I have it, Carth."

"Have what?"

Revan took the thing he bought yesterday out of one of his pockets and showed it to Carth. The Admiral seemed to be in awe as he stared at it. He then looked up at Revan and nodded understandingly.

"Well, I wish you good luck. I'm behind you all the way, believe me. I've done this myself," he told the Jedi. Revan slid the object back into his pocket, said farewell to his friend, and left.

* * *

Bastila's knighting ceremony attracted more attention than Revan had expected. Jedi from all around the academy had gathered to watch, and Revan noticed many non-Jedi there as well. It took place in the great hall of the Academy, and every Jedi Master was present. Even Master Kreia was there as well, but she stood apart from everyone else and watched with faint interest. As Revan had hoped, many of Bastila's friends were able to make it. Juhani, Jolee Bindo, and Mission were there along with Quaid Darin, the exile. As Revan peered through the crowd he noticed a familiar man in a Republic officer suit. 

"Carth! Hey, Carth!" Revan called out to him. The admiral turned to see where the voice had come from and spotted Revan and the rest of the crew. He hurried over to them wearing the first smile Revan had seen on him for a while.

Jolee was the first to respond. "Hey 'Admiral'. Glad you could make it!"

"Hey, I'm never one to miss out on these things. Work has been very boring, anyway." Carth shifted his gaze to Quaid Darin. "So you're the one Revan told me all about." Carth extended his hand to the exile. "I'm Carth Onasi. You've probably heard of me more than once, but I don't believe we've ever met in person."

Quaid accepted the gesture and shook Carth's hand. "It's an honor to meet you, Carth. I think I do remember you vaguely from the war, though. You know, Revan's told me a lot about you, too. A big war hero, from what I hear."

"Yeah, well, being a war hero isn't all it's cracked up to be. You above all people probably know that."

"Very true," responded Quaid with a sigh. "Oh well. Let's not dwell on the past just yet."

"Hey, Carth!" Mission cut in. "When this is over with, do you want to come out with us and celebrate?"

"Uh…I don't know, Mission."

"Oh come on, Carth," Revan responded. "You've been working yourself like a bantha, lately. You need some time to relax."

Jolee added his own advice. "Junior here is right, Carth. If there's one thing I learned, it's that you need to strike a balance between work and play. Come on, you're way too young to be letting yourself get overwhelmed with your responsibilities. You need to take time to relax, you know. Find some joy in your life, for crying out loud!"

Carth seemed uneasy as he thought of what to do. "Well, I guess I can come with you guys."

"Trust me, Carth, you'll be glad you did," said Revan.

"Hush! It begins!" Juhani pointed toward the end of the hall. The crowd fell silent as the Jedi council arranged themselves in a semicircle and the small form of Master Vandar stepped out into the center.

"Padawan Bastila, step forward!" he called out.

Revan peered over the crowd and spotted Bastila emerge from the shadows and into the crowd. She was wearing the customary Jedi robes instead of her usual form-fitting attire Revan liked. She strove silently toward the crowd of Masters. Her face appeared calm and confident, yet he could feel her nervousness through their bond.

"**Don't choke,"** Revan communicated to her through the bond. He noticed Bastila glance briefly at him. A smile so feint you could barely see it spread on her face.

"**If I do, it will be your fault,"** she retorted sarcastically. Bastila refocused her attention on the crowd of Masters before her. As she slowly ascended the steps she ran through every force technique she could to control her nervousness and excitement. She noticed briefly the expressions of the Masters as she approached. Vandar, Kavar, and Vash wore expressions of contentment and satisfaction. Even Master Atris had managed a weak smile, although Vrook's face resembled an angry kath hound. Bastila stopped before Master Vandar, stooped to her knees, and bowed her head.

"Padawan Bastila," began Vandar, "as a member of the Jedi council it is my greatest honor to welcome you into this ceremony today. Throughout the trials of your life you have learned and accomplished much. Your deeds for the Republic and the Jedi alike will always be remembered in the heart of our order. As such, it is my honor to welcome you into the path of knighthood."

His speech continued for a few minutes while Revan waited impatiently.

"Your achievement of attaining your rank is recognition of your experience. You have grown strong in your abilities in the force and in you own wisdom. This, however, is but another step on your long journey through the force. As you continue, you will only grow stronger and wiser in your ways."

Master Kavar walked up holding a neatly folded, blue set of Jedi robes. He presented it to Bastila and she slowly took it with gratitude. At last, Vandar finished the ceremony.

"Bastila, I now proclaim you a full Knight of the Jedi order. You may rise."

A ring of applause erupted throughout the hall. Revan, Quaid, and the rest of Bastila's friends clapped and cheered the loudest. A short while after the ceremony, as the crowd dispersed, an ecstatic Bastila rushed to greet her friends. Her first action was a graceful leap into Revan's waiting arms.

"Congratulations, Bast," said Revan as he hugged her back. Finally she broke away. Greetings, congratulations, and hugs were exchanged between Bastila and the rest of the crew. Quaid stood off to the side a little, not sure how he should respond to the woman he had not seen for so long. This was the first time in years they had even seen each other. After Bastila was finished receiving congratulations from the rest of the crew, she regarded him with a mixture of awe and compassion as she approached.

"Why, hello Quaid," she said slowly. She stopped just a foot short of him and stared him in the eyes. She, too, was unsure of how to react. The rest of the crew regarded the situation with curiosity. Finally, after moments of hesitation, the two Jedi melted into a friendly embrace. Revan silently thanked the force and was relieved to see them being so accepting.

"It's great to see you again, Bastila. Congratulations," said the exile as they hugged. Bastila broke apart and looked at him warmly.

"Thank you. It's wonderful to see you, too," she said. "Where have you been all these years?"

"It's a long story, as I told Revan. Why don't we talk more about it when we all leave to celebrate?"

"Yes. I'd like that."

Revan stopped beside Bastila and placed on arm on her shoulder. "Well, what do you say we go and celebrate? The sooner we leave the academy the better."

"Hold on!" Mission interrupted. She ran up to Revan and Bastila holding two miniscule packages. "I told you guys I had a surprise for you. Here they are!"

Revan and Bastila each took a package. They looked at each other and then at the small gifts with confused faces. "What are they, Mission?" asked Bastila.

Mission's smile only grew wider. "Go ahead. Open them!" The two Jedi each unwrapped the small gifts. As the brown wrapping paper was torn off it revealed two small holocrons. Mission took a step back. "Now please, don't be mad at me. I just couldn't resist."

"Resist what?" asked Revan as he pushed the button to activate the holocron. An image flickered to life, and he and Bastila gasped at what they saw.

The image showed the two Jedi. They were both sleeping, and Bastila was lying peacefully on top of her lover. It was no doubt taken of them on Dantooine when Bastila had fallen asleep on top of Revan. Carth and Jolee both suppressed a laugh. Juhani and Quaid both looked at the image dumbstruck.

"Mission…" began Bastila. She activated her holocron, and it showed the same.

Mission raised her hands defensively. "I just couldn't resist it. You two just looked so cute! It would have been a waste to not have saved that moment." She paused nervously. "Do you like them?" She was expecting an angry response from the two Jedi.

"Like it? Oh, Mission, I love it!" exclaimed Bastila.

Revan was beaming. He looked up from the image to the little blue twi'lek. "So this is what you were doing with T3, huh?"

"Yeah. When I saw you two asleep I asked him to take a picture for me. After that, he and I both built them for you. I just thought you'd like to, you know, carry around a picture of each other when you're not together."

"Thank you, Mission. This was a wonderful gift," Revan told her.

"So, you're not mad at me?" she asked, sounding rather relieved. The two Jedi both shook their heads.

"No," assured Bastila, "This was a great idea. Thank you."

"Just one request, Mission," said Revan. "Please try to avoid taking more 'intimate' photos in the future."

Mission laughed and nodded understandingly. "Will do, Rev. Whew! I'm glad that's over with."

"Well, people, let's not stand around here talking all day. My legs are starting to atrophy," moaned Jolee.

"Very well. Let's go!" Bastila exclaimed. As the crowd of friends left the academy, Revan sent another thought communication to Bastila.

"**Bastila, how about we go out later tonight – just the two of us?"**

Bastila responded, **"Just the two of us?"**

"**I was thinking of taking you out somewhere special, without the rest of the crew."**

"**Alright, then. What do you have in mind?"**

"**I know the perfect place. Trust me, you'll like it."**

"**Going secretive on me? Very well, I'll play along."**

The group of friends went off and celebrated Bastila's ceremony in one of the fancy cantinas of Coruscant. For hours, stories were told, jokes were exchanged, and a wonderful time was had by all. The focus of the conversation seemed to shift from one focus to the next. Juhani and Mission told tales of Taris, before and after the war; Jolee spun stories of his early days as a Jedi; and Carth, Revan, and Bastila all recounted interesting moments of their lives, not the least of which was the quest for the Star Forge.

Even Quaid Darin -- to Revan's relief, -- took part in much of the talking. Thankfully, they left Malachor out of the conversation. Quaid and Bastila spent time talking with each other about what each had been doing since the Mandalorian Wars. A wonderful time was had by all, and despite the amount of uncertainty which lay ahead, all was right with the galaxy.

After hours of celebration, the crew finally parted ways. Jolee decided to return to his ship. Quaid and Juhani returned to the academy, Carth returned to his duties, and Mission, Bastila, and Revan returned to the Ebon Hawk. Feeling rather tired, Revan and Bastila took some well-needed rest before their evening out.

* * *

At nightfall, Revan stepped into the port dormitory and beheld Bastila wearing her new set of blue Jedi robes, examining her appearance. 

"They suit you well," Revan said as he approached her. Bastila looked over her shoulder at him.

"You think so?" She actually seemed concerned.

"Of course. You wear blue rather well."

"I suppose, although I really shouldn't be making a fashion statement out of Jedi robes."

Revan threw an arm around her. "Are you ready to go?"

Bastila suppressed a gasp. She had almost forgotten about it. "Alright. Just let me change and I'll be ready."

Within moments she emerged from the dormitory wearing a set of normal clothes. Both Jedi decided to dress in civilian garb instead of their Jedi robes.

"Hey, Mission," called Revan.

"Yeah?" came her response from the main hold.

"Bastila and I are leaving. If we receive any transmissions, tell them we've left."

"Sure, Rev. Bye! Have a great time!"

* * *

Bastila and Revan slipped out of the Ebon Hawk and into the night. Shortly thereafter they arrived at a rather large cantina/restaurant. A sign in bright neon colors read: "The Crystal Den." 

"So this is what you had in mind?" asked Bastila with her hands on her hips. "I must say, Revan, you know how to choose."

"Wait until you see the inside." He gave her a sly wink. At the entrance they were greeted by a green twi'lek.

"May I ask if you have a reservation here?" he asked them. Revan cleared his throat.

"I believe you have a reservation for a Master Revan and Miss Bastila?"

"Oh, yes! We have you right here. Step right inside." He motioned with his hand toward the inside. "If you don't mind me saying, we are quite honored by your visit. We certainly don't receive Jedi here very often."

"Well, we're not your average Jedi, if I may say," Revan responded.

He and Bastila stepped inside as they were led to their table by the twi'lek. What they saw earned an "Ooh" from Bastila. The inside was wide and spacious, and dimly lit. Scattered around were various tables, most of which held couples. Waiters and waitresses moved among the tables serving the various customers. At the side against a wall was a Bith band playing a soft romantic number. In front of the band was a square tile surface on which couples danced slowly. Clearly, this place was designed to specifically accommodate couples.

Finally they stopped at a small, round table not too far from the band. After taking an order of drinks, the waiter handed them each a menu and left. "You planned this!" exclaimed Bastila as she sat opposite of Revan.

"Are you surprised? I guess now you know what 'errands' I've been running."

Bastila sighed. "Revan, you didn't have to go through such trouble for me."

"I'll pretend I'm not insulted by that." He leaned toward her. "I assure you, you're worth the trouble, beautiful."

"Heh. You never cease to remind me why I'm still with you. Thank you. (sigh) I just wish there was something I could do for you in return."

"Ah, don't worry about it."

It did not take long for the two Jedi to start talking. Within moments they were buried deep in conversation as the soft music played in the background. All that time they talked about practically anything came to mind. At one point Bastila talked about the times she spent with her family before she had to leave them. At another time Revan discussed the times he, Malak, and Quaid spent together during the Mandalorian Wars. They did not talk about the new Sith, as they would have plenty of time to do that the next day. For them, this was their one chance to escape the burdens brought by the outside world.

Eventually, they began reminiscing about their times together during their quest for the Star Forge.

"Bastila, do you remember the time we first met? I mean, after Taris?"

"I remember I thought you were the vainest, most arrogant man I had ever met," she told him as she sipped her wine.

Revan laughed. "And I thought you were the most stuck-up, prissy little woman I had ever come across." Now it was Bastila's turn to laugh. "And look at us now," he finished.

"Strange, isn't it? The force works in mysterious ways."

"Indeed it does. Do you remember the time on Manaan – when we first kissed?"

Bastila's eyes wandered wistfully. "How could I ever forget? Never before in my life had I felt so nervous, excited, happy, and afraid at once."

"Mm-hmm. I'm just thankful it wasn't the last one we were able to share." He paused. His tone grew more serious. "You know, I thought I had lost you for good when you confronted me on the Rakatan temple. I'm just so thankful I was wrong."

Bastila gazed downward and she took his hand in hers. Her eyes shifted so they met Revan's. "Me too. And I can never thank you enough for what you did, Revan; for saving me. Now that I look back, the very fact that I ever wanted to hurt you is just…frightening."

Revan cupped his other hand over Bastila's. "But you didn't go through with it. You knew where your heart truly lay, and you made your choice. That is what is most important."

Revan's head turned as he took notice of the Bith band. He turned back to Bastila. "So, do you like this place?" he asked her.

"Revan, it's wonderful! I love it! Although, how did you ever find out about it?"

"Err, Carth recommended it to me. He said he and his wife had been here before."

"Well, this place is great. I can certainly see why he recommended it. Thank you for taking me here." She turned her head to the Bith band. They noticed a female twi'lek step up to the stage and take the microphone in her hands. The band began playing a new song, and she began to sing a slow melody in tune to the music. Revan and Bastila instantly recognized it as a romantic number.

Revan shifted his attention to the woman across from him. "May I have this dance, Bastila?"

She snapped her head in his direction, appearing somewhat astonished. "Why of course, Revan. Only…"

"Only what?"

She drew a deep breath. "Well, its just that…I've never really danced before."

Revan smirked. "It's okay. Neither have I, but it's never too late to learn, right?"

"Heh. Alright, but you've been warned."

They stepped onto the dance floor and grasped each other. Their first attempt was mediocre, at best. More than once one tripped over the other's foot or was too slow or fast for the other. This earned a few laughs from the two Jedi and some glances from the other dancers as well.

However, as the music played on, the two Jedi became more unified. They reached out to each other through their bond and unified their movements. Soon, they glided gracefully across the floor as practically one; their movements matching each other's as the twi'lek sang her romantic melody.

The two lovers held each other as they moved. Through their bond their minds touched, and their love flowed between the two of them as they danced. Their minds relaxed as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. Bastila felt herself drifting off into pure ecstasy. This was the most wonderful day she could remember in a long time. Her eyes were half-closed, yet the blue inside still shone clearly to Revan.

He leaned close into her and whispered into her ear, "Bastila, come with me after this. There is something I want to show you."

* * *

Later, after they finally left the restaurant, Revan took Bastila to a shuttle which transported them to a nearby sky ramp. There they were let off and Revan lead Bastila along the sky ramp. 

"Do me one favor, Bastila. Close your eyes."

"What?" she asked skeptically.

"Just close your eyes. Trust me. It's a surprise."

"Alright, I'll play along." She closed her eyes. Revan got behind her and led her by the shoulders along the walkway. At last, he came to a familiar balcony and led Bastila up to the rail.

"Okay, open your eyes." She opened them and let out an awed gasp. Before her lay the sprawling city of Coruscant. The view stretched on for miles, and the brilliant lights emanating from the buildings resembled a starry night. The ships and speeders flying through the air resembled bright comets streaking through the sky.

"Revan, it's beautiful," she muttered wistfully. It was a magnificent view. He affectionately threw an arm around her.

"I know you're more the 'nature' type, but since there's not much nature on this planet I decided to go for the next best thing. I know you liked to stargaze and I thought this might be a good spot."

"Revan…" she stammered, "Thank you. It's so beautiful."

Revan gathered his courage. The entire purpose of this night was all built upon what he planned to do next. He tried to control his nervousness and excitement. He was so uncertain, yet he had to do it. He patted his robe one last time to make sure he still had her "gift". When he felt it, he breathed a sigh of relief and focused on Bastila.

He turned her so their eyes met. "Bastila, the real reason I brought you out hear was because I wanted to ask you something." She looked at him confused. "Bastila, we've been together for only a couple years, yet in that short time we've grown so close. We are bound in mind. Our thoughts, emotions, pains, and joys become each other's. And so, I need to ask you, would you have it any other way? Do you love me?"

Bastila was quite taken aback by his question. She struggled to find an answer as he looked at her eagerly. Finally, "Revan, you are like no other man I've ever met before. You are unique! After all that we've been through, how can you even ask if I love you? There is no man in the entire galaxy who could ever replace you! There is no one who could ever make me feel as you do. Our minds are linked, but it is a bond I gladly share with you, for I can imagine sharing my life with no other man but you. When I call you 'my love', I mean it. Nothing could make me feel safer or happier to be loved by you! With all my heart, I love you, Revan."

He closed eyes and smiled. "Thank you, Bastila." He opened them and looked her straight in her own ocean-blue eyes. "And I feel the same way about you. My feelings for you run deep, but I need you to see the scope of my feelings. I need you to see how deep my love for you goes. The more I look at you, the more I am convinced that you are the only one. No force can separate us, not even the force that bound us in the first place, and as such, I just need to do this. I'm sorry I'm doing this now. It probably is not the best time for it, but I can't hold it in any longer."

Tears started swelling in Bastila's eyes as she realized where this was leading. She struggled to say something, but all that came out was: "Revan…"

Revan reached into his robes and took out a tiny box. Upon seeing this Bastila cupped her hands over her mouth as she tried to hold back her tears. Revan smiled at her reaction. He opened the box and the inside lit up, revealing a small, golden ring. In the center was a set a brilliant blue gemstone. Revan knelt down on one knee in front of her and held the ring up to her.

"Bastila Shan, I love you. Will you marry me?" he asked as he gazed up at her.

It was now a struggle for Bastila just to speak; she was so overcome with emotion. "I…you…we…I don't…I mean…Yes, Revan! Of course I will." She bent down and embraced him tightly. She smiled through her joyous sobs. Revan stood up with her and slowly slipped the ring on her finger.

"It matches your eyes," he whispered softly. He gazed lovingly into her eyes. She seemed to glow in the moonlight.

She met his gaze. "Thank you, Revan. I love you." Her face started inching slowly toward his.

"I love you too, Bastila." Their faces finally met in a long, deep, passionate kiss. It was one of the most powerful they shared in a long time, almost as powerful as the one they shared on the Star Forge.

The two Jedi hugged and kissed passionately in the moonlight. They were now all but ready for anything the future held for them. Yes, there was a threat, but whatever this threat was, they would face it together and emerge victorious, one way or another.

* * *

Was the last scene mushy enough for you? (lol) This chapter was way longer than anticipated, and I didn't get it posted as soon as I wanted to. It's amazing how fast these stories get buried in the back pages! Credit goes to Barachiel for the whole "Bastila stargazing" idea. **PLEASE** read and review! The next chapter will introduce the long-anticipated Atton as well as more of the exile. Wait until you see what I have planned for our heroes in the future. (laughs diabolically)

**BTW:** I have two other stories docked in my profile. They are "The Knight and the Princess" and "HK-47's Song". If you have time, check those two out as well. This story is my main one but I'm eager for opinion on the other two. Anyway, until next time!


	9. Chapter 8: A New Assignment

Just as I had predicted, this section became flooded with new stories and updates after the release of "Revenge of the Sith.", most of them having to do with that movie. I must congratulate George Lucas for finally making a worthy prequel.

I'm really sorry I didn't get this posted sooner. I got kind of lazy these past couple weeks, and I've been loaded with a bunch of work (and all I have to show for it is a measly chapter). Oh well. With summer coming, hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently. Happy Episode III watching!

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. If I did, I would not have to write all these friggin' disclaimers.

**Chapter 8: A New Assignment**

Dax leaned back in his cockpit chair and let out a bored sigh. He glanced upward and tapped on the chair's armrest. In the background of the cockpit played a peculiar music the likes of which Dax did not care for, but had to listen to anyway. He turned toward the pilot sitting in the seat to his left.

"Hey captain, why do we have to listen to this crap anyway?" he asked with mild frustration. The pilot glared at Dax.

"Because I'm in charge, that's why!" he snapped.

Dax leaned forward and lightly banged his fists on the console. "Captain, why are we here? Border patrol has gotta be the most boring job ever devised! Nothing ever happens out here!"

"Stow you're bellyaching, Dax. As a matter of fact, things do happen, which is why this job was created in the first place." He motioned with his hand toward the cockpit window. Before them lay Korriban – now a desolate and ghostly world. For days they had been patrolling the regions around Korriban in their small scout ship.

Dax shook his head and continued. "Well, I just can't wait until our shift is over. This planet creeps me out, I'm telling you. I'd rather be almost anywhere but here."

The captain twisted in his seat. "Well, we're just going to have to deal with it until we get re-circulated."

"Yeah well, I'm still bored out of my mind. Wanna play a round of pazaak.?" He asked hopefully.

The captain sighed. "Alright. Nothing better to do, anyway. I'll deal." He drew out a pack of cards. The two moved to a small table set with chairs in the back and started playing. A few minutes into their game, a loud beeping noise emanated from the control panel.

Startled, the captain snapped his head toward the control panel. "What in the…" he muttered as he made his way toward the front of the cockpit. Dax followed quickly behind.

"Cap, what the heck is it?"

The captain stared curiously at the console. "Our sensors are picking up something. It looks like ships going through our sector."

"Probably just Republic ships."

"It can't be, Dax. No ships were scheduled to pass through this sector. The signals don't even match up right."

"Can you get an image on it?" Dax asked. The captain punched a few keys on the panel. Within seconds an image of deep space flicked up on the screen. In the background three tiny objects flew across the screen. "Quick, zoom in before we lose 'em!"

The captain was already on it, and the image zoomed in on the ships. The captain gaped at what he saw. There on the screen in formation flew three ships with menacing frames.

"Holy crap, captain! Those are Sith ships!" He practically yelped like a little girl. He watched in fear as the ships quickly disappeared into hyperspace.

"Sith! They're heading right for Republic space. Dax – get me a reading on their trajectory, now!"

Dax nodded and flew over to a nearby computer. Within seconds he got a reading. "Captain, the computer's calculated them on a course straight for… it looks like Dantooine!"

The captain swore under his breath. "Dax, send a transmission to the nearest planet and have it relayed to Coruscant immediately! Tell them three Sith scout ships were spotted heading straight for Dantooine! What are you waiting for? Do it!"

Dax didn't need to be told twice. He worked on the transmission in a heartbeat.

* * *

Bastila awoke in a feeling of raw bliss. Last night was the most wonderful experience she had in a long time, and she felt like she was on top of the world. Her eyes fluttered open and she beheld the familiar interior of the Ebon Hawk. A yawn escaped her mouth as she scanned the dormitory. Revan and Mission were both absent. As she looked down she realized she was still wearing the clothes she wore last night – she hadn't even bothered to change into her undergarments. 

She immediately glanced at her hand just to make sure last night wasn't a dream – it wasn't. The ring was still on her finger. She breathed a sigh of relief and silently thanked the force. With nothing else to do, she showered in the fresher, changed into a new set of clothes, and headed for the main hold.

Sitting around the holo-projector were Mission and Revan laughing and talking. Revan took notice of Bastila's entrance and his eyes perked up.

"Hey – I was wondering when you were gonna wake up!"

Another yawn escaped Bastila's mouth. "What time is it?"

"It's about 11:00. I haven't been up for long either, to be honest," he told her.

"Hey, Bastila, what happened last night?" queried Mission. When you came back you two were talking and giggling like a…well, like a couple of teenagers! It was enough to wake me up, that's for sure. I've asked Revan about it, but he refused to say anything!"

Bastila only smiled and sat next to Revan. She decided to wait and see how long it would take Mission to notice her ring. Mission threw her hands up.

"Okay, nobody's gonna answer me? Fine! I don't care! No need to tell me anything." She leaned back and glared at the two Jedi. After a moment, her eyes widened to the size of Star Maps as she noticed Bastila's hand. "Bast—Bastila! You – Revan – did you really—?"

Bastila nodded at Mission as her smile grew wider. "You mean, you're engaged? Why, that's – that's great! Congratulations!" Her face started blushing. "I just don't know what to say."

"Well, you don't have to say anything," Revan told her. "Just keep it a secret until the others find out, okay? I want it to be a surprise."

Mission nodded. "Sure."

Moments later, T3-M4 rolled into the room, chirping excitedly. Revan had to raise a hand to quiet him.

"Whoa! Slow down, T3. What are you saying?"

"Dreee! Wroop wroop twee-deet!"

"A transmission? From whom?"

"Beep-boop deed-deet."

"From Master Vandar? Okay, play the message."

Soon the voice of Master Vandar was heard emanating from inside T3. "Good day, my fine Jedi Knights. I am sorry if I am disturbing any plans you have, but an urgent matter has come to the attention of the Jedi council. We will need you two to return the academy immediately."

Revan stared blankly at T3. "Well, that was informative. I wonder what is so important that the council needs to see us today?"

"I doubt it's anything good," muttered Bastila gloomily.

"Well, before we go, how about if we eat something first? I'm a little hungry."

"Alright," she agreed. "But we'll have to make it quick." She got up to retrieve some food from the cargo hold. A thought came to Revan's mind and he got up to follow her.

"Hey Bastila," he said to her once he caught up to her in the cargo hold, "While we are at the academy, I have some business to attend to at the academy dealing with the prisoner 'Atton'. Would you be willing to help me with him?"

She amusedly arched an eyebrow. "I should see no reason why not."

"Alright, just asking."

Upon seeing that he was done speaking, Bastila bent over to retrieve some food from a storage bin. Revan, who was standing behind her, grinned as a mischievous thought entered his head.

"You know Bastila, HK was right about one thing concerning your 'anatomy'…"

Bastila straightened up and faced him with her hands on her hips. "Oh really? For your information, we both have enough to think about without reminding ourselves of that droid's comments about my, uh, posterior! Now please Revan, just drop it."

"Alright, but I'll say it again; your 'cargo hold' is nothing to be ashamed of, neither are your 'overly swollen'--"

"That will be quite enough, Revan!" Her cheeks flushed pink and she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. "That droid gets on my nerves enough without you reminding me of his 'comments'."

"You know Bastila, some women would be proud of it," he teased.

"You really… Never mind, just stop it. I swear, fiancé or not, you will find my lightsaber shoved through your ears if you continue." She turned around and bent over the bin to resume retrieving her food. Without warning, she felt Revan's hand connect swiftly with her posterior.

Bastila let out a surprised "Oh!" and straightened up red-faced with her hands covering the spot Revan had hit. "REVAN!" she yelled, but it was too late. He had run off. Her face flushed deep red with fury. She thought of going after him but decided to let him go. After a moment a small laugh escaped her, and she smiled inwardly. Deep down inside, she knew she loved it.

* * *

The trip to the academy went rather quickly; too quickly for Revan's tastes. Upon reaching the enclave they forced to wait for at least an hour for some unknown reason. Revan found that he didn't mind, however. He and Bastila both seemed to dread this unexpected meeting with the council. Finally Revan and Bastila were allowed to enter the council's chamber. 

Awaiting them was the entire Jedi council. Revan noticed that Vandar's gaze contained a look of regret. Atris's face looked just as tired as ever, and Vrook's countenance still resembled the "angry Kath hound" Revan was used to. What drew Revan's attention most, however, was Carth standing off to the right with an expression of concern over his face. Revan and Bastila bowed courteously and stood upright before the council. Revan was the first to speak.

"You wished to see us?"

Kavar stood up. "Knights Revan and Bastila, an urgent matter has come to the attention of the council. This matter requires your direct attention. Admiral Onasi will explain the rest to you."

Carth stepped forward, and Revan noticed a small holocron in his hand. "We've been sent an urgent message from one of our outer rim scouts near Korriban," the Admiral began. "They spotted these while on their patrol." He pressed a button on the holocron, and a blue image flickered to life.

The picture made Revan's stomach quiver. He noticed Bastila suppress a gasp. In the center of the image were three vessels Revan instantly recognized as Sith. He did not say anything, he merely stood silently as he studied the image. Within seconds the ships disappeared into hyperspace, and the blue image deactivated.

Carth continued, "They were spotted just a few days ago. The scouts have calculated their most probable course as being headed for Dantooine."

"The Sith are invading Republic space again?" Revan faced the council. "What course of action does the council plan to take?"

Master Vandar's diminutive form stood up in his chair. "The Sith obviously wanted to remain undiscovered in this attempt, but they did not succeed at that. This discovery bears ill on us all, but we can use this to our advantage."

"This could be our chance to stop the Sith before they have a chance to complete whatever plans they have in store for us," said Master Vash. "If we strike now, we may have a chance to end this insurgency before it ever surfaces."

"**I don't like where this is going," **said Revan to Bastila through their bond. "And what do you want us to do?" he asked the council.

"This is where you come in," spoke Vrook. "We are sorry (and he didn't sound sorry at all), but there has been a change of plans. You two are to go to Dantooine and track down the Sith before they can do any damage. The Republic is still struggling to regain its footing, and we cannot risk the Sith destroying what we have fought hard to achieve."

"Go to Dantooine? When?" asked Bastila.

"You must leave tomorrow," said Atris. "We have little time to act. We must strike while there is still time."

"But what of the Republic?" asked Revan. "I thought you needed us here to help—"

"We know what we asked of you before," said Kavar. "But the Republic can mange things here well enough, and we have the fullest confidence in Admiral Onasi's abilities."

"We know that you our both very capable Jedi," Vandar said, "and your capabilities are the reason we know you two are the best choice for this mission. You will be of much greater help by undertaking this task."

"We know this has no doubt inconvenienced you, and we apologize for that," said Vash. "but we have greater needs of your services on Dantooine."

Revan nodded passively, but on the inside he felt his heart drop. "Of course, high council. We will do as you ask." He paused. "Only, are we to undertake this task alone?"

Kavar addressed him. "No. We will send some of our own Jedi to assist you. Dustil Onasi and Yuthura Ban are already on Dantooine. They will meet you there once you and your task force arrive." Kavar stood and folded his hands behind his back. "Do you have any questions for us before you leave?"

Revan and Bastila shook their heads. At this Vandar gave his last command. "Then you may go. Make whatever preparations you need today before you leave tomorrow." Revan and Bastila bowed and left the chamber. Once outside, Revan faced Bastila.

"This is just lovely, isn't it?" he growled.

"I know Revan, I'm sorry," said Bastila sadly.

"The Sith always choose the best times to show up. It's as if the force doesn't want us to catch a break!"

"I know. I'm afraid there is nothing we can do about it, though. (sigh) I suppose that's what we get for being Jedi," she said.

Revan cursed the Sith. He cursed himself even more for being responsible for leading them in the first place. All he wanted was a life without fighting; one without the Sith, and the force couldn't give him that. It's as if he was doomed to fight them for eternity.

Revan gently clutched Bastila by the shoulders. "Listen, I need to speak to Admiral Onasi. You might want to go and inform Mission of the situation and maybe have the Ebon Hawk readied for tomorrow."

"What about Atton?"

"I think I can handle him by myself. Don't worry."

Bastila nodded. After a quick farewell she hurried off, and Revan waited silently for Carth to show his face. A few minutes later Revan spotted the perpetually-stressed Admiral emerging from the chambers.

"Carth!" Revan waved his hand to catch his attention. Onasi spotted him and hurried to meet him.

"Revan!" He stopped in front of the Jedi. "First of all, I just wanted to say that I… I saw the ring on Bastila's hand. I'm really sorry about all this."

Revan shook his head. "Well, don't be sorry. It's not your fault the Sith showed up. There's nothing that can be done about it, anyway."

Carth shook his own head in response. "Still, it's not fair that you two have to be suddenly thrust into this. Having had a wife myself, I kinda know the feeling."

"Please, let's not talk about it." He sighed and changed the subject. "Listen Carth, I need to see the prisoner 'Atton'. Is he still being held in the academy?"

Carth nodded. "Technically, he's in Republic custody, not Jedi custody, but we haven't had him moved yet. The way things are going, though, he may either spend a longer time in prison or be released on parole. The Republic doesn't exactly want his kind walking the streets."

* * *

He led Revan to the prison chambers. A Jedi standing guard at the doorway stopped them. Carth raised a hand to him. 

"Revan is here to see Atton. He has permission to enter."

Before entering, Revan turned to Carth. "Wait here. Give me a few minutes with him. I'll straighten him out." Carth looked confused but didn't say anything. Revan mockingly waved bye to him and stepped into the prison. He briefly thought about what he was doing. For some strange reason, something about Atton intrigued him and he was eager to see him in person.

The prison was lined with force-cells along the wall. One held a scruffy Rodian who looked like he was asleep. Another cell on the opposite end held a tall, dark-brown haired human wearing a ribbed jacket. He was leaning against his cage, and upon seeing Revan he rolled his eyes.

"You must be Atton," thought Revan to himself. He approached the cocky-eyed prisoner. "Are you Attton Rand?"

Atton folded his arms. "You want to know, too? I'm shocked, I really am. I thought you Jedi had better things to do than question a prisoner every day."

Revan ignored his remark. "So you are, eh? It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Well, excuse me if the feeling isn't mutual. You try being cooped up in a prison cell for this long, and then see if you view your captors in a nice way."

"I am not one of your captors; I am here to help you."

"Help me? Heh. That's a laugh. Most Jedi here seem to care less about what happens to prisoners. Pardon me if I don't believe you."

Revan drew a breath. "Regardless of what you think, Atton, you are in a prison cell and face being here for a considerable amount of time or being released on parole. I'm sure you don't find that fate too appealing."

"Yeah well, what are you going to do about it? What's it matter to you, anyway?" Atton seemed frustrated. Clearly, he didn't like Jedi.

"First, tell me why you're here," Revan commanded.

"For trying to peep on a senator's wife in her bedroom."

"Don't play games with me, Atton," Revan decided to switch between good and bad cop. "You can either tell me, or you can stay here and rot."

Atton sighed. "Okay, okay. I was trying to smuggle fuel out of Peragus to complete a deal with the exchange. They wanted the fuel. Unfortunately, I was caught before I could make that happen."

"What did the exchange want with fuel?" Revan asked.

Atton shrugged. "I don't know. They didn't tell me. All they said was that they wanted fuel and that they'd pay big money for it. Credits can be kind of hard to come by for a man like me, so I agreed. Would you have done it any differently?"

"There are other ways of making credits than joining with an illegal organization and stealing fuel that's meant to help other planets," Revan growled.

"Yeah, well, it's a lot easier for me. Look, there's not much more I can say that is really any help. Are you done now? Why in the galaxy are you here, anyway? Who are you?"

"I think you've heard of me before. I am Revan." At this Atton suppressed a gasp. He seemed to pale before Revan's eyes.

"Oh," was all he said in response.

At last, Revan felt he was getting somewhere. "Well, Atton, I realize you're in a quagmire, here. I know you don't want to remain in Republic custody. If you wish, I can make you an offer that can get you out of prison."

"Another offer? Sheesh, you sound like the exchange. No thanks."

"Very well, then. You can just rot in here." Revan turned toward the exit.

"Wait!" Atton called. "Wait! I'd like to here it!"

Revan smirked inwardly. Now he had Atton where he wanted. "Very well," said Revan turning back toward Atton. "I can get you out of here, but I need something in return."

"Okay, what do you want? I mean, I don't really want to spend much longer in prison. I'll do practically anything to get out of here!"

Revan smirked mischievously at him. "Tell me, Atton, can you fly a ship?"

* * *

Revan emerged from the prison chambers and greeted Carth. 

"How did it go?" Carth asked him.

"Carth, I have a proposal for you about Atton," Revan told him.

The Admiral eyed him nervously. "Okay."

"If you free Atton, I can look after him for you. As you know, I'll be leaving for Dantooine. He's agreed to fly the ship for us, if you let him."

"Revan, are you sure about that? Can you even trust this guy?"

Revan shook his head. "Don't worry, Carth. I don't sense any deception in him. He seems a lot more trustworthy than many other people I've met. If you let me watch him, I'll make sure he stays out of trouble."

Carth sighed and shook his head. "Alright. If you want him, he's yours. I'll have him released tomorrow." He looked at the time. "I have to go, Revan. I'll see you tomorrow. Farewell."

"Farewell, Carth." Carth waved and left.

Revan walked through the academy. He was stopped suddenly by a familiar voice behind him.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Revan turned and saw Quaid Darin, the exile, approaching him. It was just the person he had been looking for.

"Quaid?"

"You didn't think you could get away, did you?" Quaid asked him, smiling. "I heard about your new assignment."

"Oh really?" Revan smirked back. "Are you here to kiss me goodbye?"

"Ha. You honestly didn't think you could leave me here, do you? Coruscant's a nice place, but the buildings can overwhelm you after a while."

Revan laughed. "You could always visit Kashyyk."

"No thanks. I'm coming with you, Revan. There's no way in hell I'm going to let you and Bastila do this alone. Besides, I'm tired of waiting around and being an exile. I told you before, Revan, I want to help you."

Revan sighed. "You know, you remind me of Bastila, sometimes."

"Is that an insult or a compliment?" Quaid joked.

Revan chuckled. "Whatever you think it is." He paused and his voice grew more somber. "Thank you, Quaid. I know how hard it must be to face combat again. Are you sure you want to do this?"

The exile nodded. "I am sure. It is hard, but I won't sit around while the Sith try to take over again. I didn't fight in the Mandalorian wars just to see the Republic taken over by a different group of invaders."

Revan stepped up to him and shook his hand. "Thanks again, Quaid." He let out a deep breath. "You should gather your things. I'll take you to the Ebon Hawk when you're ready. I'll be sure to notify Bastila of your decision."

"Alright, Revan." Quaid stopped himself before he walked away. "By the way, have you delt with Atton?"

"Let's just say, he'll be chauffeuring us to Dantooine tomorrow."

Quaid laughed.

* * *

Kreia silently drifted through the halls of the academy. Deep in her own thoughts, she barely noticed her surroundings until a slight disturbance broke her concentration. A mind with troubled thoughts was approaching her quickly. By the nature of it, she guessed it was one of the Jedi Masters. Within moments, Vrook rounded a corner and confirmed her suspicion. 

Vrook regarded her with contempt. Even Kreia's blind eyes could see his emotions. As Vrook neared her, a scowl spread over his face. He didn't notice the sly grin Kreia gave in response. Before he could pass, Kreia stopped him.

"I sense your thoughts are troubled. Why?" she asked him.

Vrook sneered at her. "Can you not see what has been happening? The council's wisdom seems to be waning every passing day. They will surely destroy our order with their continued acceptance of these renegade knights."

"Renegade knights?" Kreia remarked. "And whom are you referring to, if I am wrong in my suspicion?"

"Hmph. Revan, Bastila, the exile. They all threaten our order, just as you once did. Their beliefs and actions are causing rifts in our order. They constantly tread the path of the dark side."

Kreia snapped at Vrook without warning. "Dark side? What do you know of the dark side? Are you a god of the force? Do you even know what the dark side is?"

Vrook was taken aback by her backlash. He stumbled upon his words. "I know that they are--"

"What do you know about it?" Kreia hissed. "These 'renegade knights' have brought truth and reason to your order, and you condemn them? The arrogance!" Her venomous words picked up speed. "How could you ever know what the dark side is when you have never been seduced and betrayed by it, as Revan has? When you were never controlled and then scarred by it, as the exile has? When you have never been warped and beaten down by it, as Bastila has? They have all seen the dark side, and they know what it is, but you – YOU – have wallowed in your ignorance and spent your life confined within the narrow boundaries of your own dogma!"

Vrook was dumbstruck. His lips struggled to form words but no sound emerged. Kreia, however continued her assault on the arrogant Master.

"Of all the members of the council, you are undoubtedly the worst. You bathe in ignorance, and you will transmit your ignorance and arrogance to all those foolish enough to listen to you." She smiled wickedly at him. "It could be that in the sight of the force, you are more foolish and less fit to lead than any of the Padawans you teach."

Vrook's face had transformed from utter shock to intense fury. His face turned red as he struggled to spout words to counter her. "I am--" he began, but Kreia cut him off.

"No. I have wasted enough time with you. Leave me, fool. Save your ignorance for one of your Padawans." She turned away and silently drifted away from him. A clenched-fisted Vrook stormed off in the opposite direction, seething with anger.

* * *

I'll try to get the next chapter posted soon. With finals almost over (whew) I should have more time. Thanks for the feedback; keep it coming. I almost didn't include Atton in this fic, but I think it turned out well. And I just had to include a scene with Kreia owning Vrook. Killing him in KOTOR II is one of the positive aspects of playing the dark side. >: ) 


	10. Chapter 9: Preparations

Okay, I was loaded with a bunch of work these past couple weeks and had really zero time to write. Anyway, hope you're satisfied with this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or KOTOR; George Lucas does.

**Chapter 9: Preparations**

The inner hull of the ship seemed to suck the light from the air. Its deep black and dark grey walls cast an ominous hue throughout the entire vessel. Darth Sion paced up and down the main hold, and on either side of him sat two rows of Sith assassins clad in black robes. Most of their faces were covered in intimidating masks, those whose countenances were uncovered revealed pale faces with eager yellow eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness. In the corner of the hold sat the small, crimson form of Visas, squatted and concentrated in meditation.

Sion paced between the rows of assassins. "The dark side is power, in power lies victory," he chanted.

They responded, _"In victory, we shall achieve domination."_

"On the blood of our ancestors, on the blood of our ancient lords,"

"_We will ensure their legacy with the blood of our enemies."_

"Those who stand before us will fall before our power,"

"_We are the Sith, we are our own masters, and we will triumph."_

Sion stared into the distance; his cracked, charred lips showed the faintest trace of an evil smile. "Lord Nihilus has bestowed a task upon us. Be silent and swift in your mission, and we will capture the relic as he commanded with little trouble. Always remember – Lord Nihilus does not take kindly to failure. We will have this relic at any cost."

The Sith Assassins nodded in unison. Sion approached the corner in which Visas sat. He stomped his foot down in front of her, jolting Visas from her meditation. She looked up at him with unseen eyes.

Sion regarded her with scorn. "We will arrive at Dantooine soon. Nihilus has no time for failures, and we cannot afford to have his task jeopardized. I cannot watch over you the entire time, so my advice is this: do your job and do it well."

Visas did not move. "I understand," she said firmly, making it clear that Sion's presence did not intimidate her.

Sion's exposed eye seemed to pierce her veil. "See that you don't. Know this: our task is of extreme importance, and it matters to me. Your life, however, does not."

"That makes two of us."

Sion stared at her for a moment, appearing to have more to say. Instead, he growled and lumbered off. Visas bent her head back down as a small grin played across her face.

"Oh, but Nihilus has sent me to watch you," she thought. "He is concerned about your recklessness, not mine. He knew we would be discovered, and that is why I am here."

She was once again swept over by a strange sense of intimidation about this mission. She was afraid of something, though she wasn't sure of what it was. Visas struggled to push it out of her mind and remain focused on her objective.

For a brief moment she thought of Bastila, her old friend. She sincerely hoped they would not meet. Visas couldn't bear to think of the pain Bastila would feel in seeing her old friend like this.

And yet…her thoughts kept drifting back to the exile. She had sensed him from across the galaxy like a sound on the edge of hearing. He was like her in many ways: scarred by a planet's worth of pain. She speculated that she would confront him sooner or later on this task. Nevertheless, she would deal with

Visas bowed her head and sought refuge in her meditation; alone in the darkness as the ships hurtled through space.

* * *

"Leaving Coruscant? What do you mean we're leaving Coruscant?" Mission had practically jumped in her seat at the revelation.

"I know Mission, I'm sorry. The Jedi council has given us a new task, and we cannot stay here." Bastila frowned. She didn't want to leave either.

"But we've only just arrived!" Mission protested. She slumped back in her seat and dropped her head.

Bastila grabbed Mission by the shoulders in an attempt to calm her. "I know, Mission. Believe me, I don't like it any more than you, but we've been given a task we cannot turn down." Bastila cupped Mission's chin and raised her head so their eyes met. "This is no simple errand we're running. The Sith are trying to return, and this could be the one chance we have of beating them before they resurface! I wish things could be any other way, Mission, but they can't."

Mission loosed a long sigh. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm sure it must be way harder on you two."

"You could stay here, Mission, if you wanted to."

"But who would I stay with? Carth? And do what? Sit around all day while he tries to rebuild his home planet?" She paused and bit her lip. "Bastila, can I come with you and Revan?"

Bastila loosed a sigh of her own. "I don't know Mission. I don't think Revan would approve, and I'm not sure if I do."

Mission jumped out of her seat again. "But Bastila, you can't just leave me here!"

"Mission, this mission will be dangerous! You're life could be in danger! The Sith do not make exceptions for children!"

Mission was growing frustrated. "I am not a child! And I do know what the Sith are like! I've faced them in combat before, for crying out loud! You and Revan didn't seem to mind when I was with you on your quest for the Star Forge, so why do you seem to mind now?"

"Mission, that was a different thing!"

"No it wasn't! You know what? I think you two just want some privacy for your lovey dovey routines!"

Bastila's seemed to stagger back. Her face flushed a deep crimson as her lips struggled to form words. Mission realized what she had said and was instantly guilt-struck.

"Oh, Bastila, I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean it. I was just--"

Bastila hushed her. "I know. It's okay." She approached Mission again. "I know you're frustrated, and I know you want to help, but we cannot take chances like this."

Mission entwined her hands and begged earnestly. "Please, Bastila, can't I come with you guys? I'm not coming because I need a place to stay; I'm coming because I want to help out!"

"Mission, if you got yourself hurt or killed, Revan and I wouldn't be able to forgive ourselves."

"But I've already been through this before! I can take care of myself, why won't you two see that?"

"Mission, we…" Bastila trailed off. She couldn't help but feel sorry for Mission. She knew she wanted to help so badly, but at what cost would it be? Then again, perhaps she was right. Maybe she and Revan had been treating her too much like a child. Having been through the same thing, Bastila could sympathize.

Mission released another long sigh and shook her head. "I think I'll just go to the dormitory for now. I'm kinda tired." She solemnly lumbered toward the dormitory. Bastila watched her as she left, a wave of guilt filling her.

"Query: has the little blue meatbag been giving you trouble? If so, I would be more than happy to terminate her for you. Her headtails would make for excellent target practice."

Bastila had to resist the urge to force-push HK-47 into the wall again. "No, HK! Please leave!"

"Indignant resignation: as you wish, meatbag mistress."

Practically a day didn't go by where Bastila didn't think of scrapping that droid. A moment passed and her thoughts drifted back to Mission. She decided to give Mission her privacy and wait in the main hold for Revan's return.

* * *

A while later Bastila heard the sound of Revan's footsteps as he climbed the entry ramp to the Ebon Hawk. Within seconds his form appeared in the main hold.

"Hello, Revan," she said standing up.

"Hey, Bast." He paused and looked around. "Where's Mission?"

"She's in the dormitory. She's taking the news rather hard, I'm afraid. She really wants to go with us, Revan."

Revan sighed deeply and sat down, followed by Bastila. "I know she does. I almost want her to come, but…I just don't want to put her in danger again. If something happens, the Sith might target her, and I don't want that to happen."

Bastila slid a comforting arm around Revan. "And you're right. I just can't help but feel sorry for her. If I were in her position, I would feel the same way." She let out another sigh. "I wonder, though, if we really do treat her like a child. She is 16, and she has been through so much."

Revan ran his fingers through his black hair. "I know, but I don't want her to get hurt. I'm concerned about her."

"And I'm sure she's glad for your concern, I just don't think she likes being cooped up all the time." Revan nodded in silence. After a moment of hesitation, Bastila spoke up. "Revan, what happened back at the academy?" she asked inquisitively.

Bastila noticed him perk up a little. "I dealt with Atton, as I planned." He grinned at her.

"And?" she asked Vrook-like.

"We now have a new pilot for the Ebon Hawk, it seems. He's agreed to fly this thing for us! Carth's having him released for us."

Bastila felt herself divided at this news. "Revan, are you sure it's a wise idea to trust someone like that? He's a convicted felon, after all. And with Mission on board…"

Revan shook his head and raised his hand to silence her. "Atton is not like that at all. While he is a tad unusual, he is better than some Republic soldiers I've met, if you can believe it. Besides, with three Jedi and an assassination droid on board, I doubt he'll try anything funny, anyway."

"But why did he agree to it in the first place?"

"It was either that, or a long prison sentence. I promised Carth I would keep an eye on him."

"Alright," said Bastila, although she was still a tad uncomfortable. "Wait a minute – you said three Jedi? What do you mean three?"

"That's the best part," Revan beamed. "Quaid has decided to come with us!"

"Oh Revan, that's wonderful!" She paused. "So he just upped and decided to go with you?"

Revan nodded. "Yep. He's really eager to help out again. I suppose being an exile all those years gets to you. Heck, I'd probably do the same thing in his shoes. I just hope that when he has to face combat again, he doesn't have a meltdown."

"I know, but he is strong. I think when the time comes, he will be alright. You know Revan, consider yourself lucky to have friends like him."

Revan pulled her close. "And I do. Especially when I have someone like you to remind me." His heart sank as he remembered what lay before him. "And now, we have to go through another round of fighting the Sith…unmarried," he growled.

Bastila turned his face so their eyes met. "But we are married, Revan, in our hearts. Remember, bond or no, nothing can separate us, even when we are not together, so long as we love each other." She kissed him lightly on the lips. She felt better when the smile reappeared on his face.

"You know, you never cease to astound me," he said, smiling coolly at her.

The rest of the day passed rather uneventfully. Revan and Bastila resupplied the Ebon Hawk while T3 and HK prepared it for takeoff the next day. Mission was inconsolable. Even after emerging from the dormitory, she refused to speak throughout the night and seemed to be in a separate world. She went to sleep without a word.

Meanwhile, the exile was busy preparing himself, physically and mentally, for what lay before him. A cloud of uncertainty hovered over him. Even after all this time, Malachor V still scarred him. He hoped that when the need arose, he would be able to overcome his demons. Only time would tell for him…

* * *

The following morning Revan and Bastila traveled to the Jedi Academy one last time before they departed Coruscant. Not long after they entered they were greeted by an unusually enthusiastic exile. The usual aura of gloom which hovered around him seemed to have vanished for the time. All his possessions fit into a case which he carried by his side. Revan noticed a shiny vibrosword strapped to his waist.

"Quaid! We didn't expect to see you so soon. You can't tell me you've gotten tired of the academy already."

Quaid rolled his eyes. "As a nice a place as this is, it loses its luster after a while, and I've had enough of sitting around here all day."

"Well, you'll be doing more sitting on the Ebon Hawk before we reach Dantooine," replied Revan sarcastically. "I would love to chat, but we need to see the council before we go."

"Actually, that's one of the reason's I'm here. Masters Vandar and Kavar requested that I take you to them. Follow me."

A short while later, the three Jedi arrived at the council's main chambers. The usually occupied row of chairs was empty. Only Kavar and Vandar were present, and they weren't sitting.

"Greetings, young knights," greeted Vandar as they entered. "I trust you're here to see us about you're assignment."

Revan and Bastila nodded. "Well, no time to waist," he responded. "Go on, have a seat, please." Vandar flicked his and three chairs floated off the ground and settled next to Revan, Bastila, and Quaid.

Kavar sat and briefed them on their instructions. "As you already know, you're leaving for Dantooine today. We are sending a squad of Jedi with you on your mission. We will forward a list of all coming with you to your ship. Once there, your party will meet with Dustil and Yuthura at the Khoonda settlement, and you will receive further instructions there."

"You may take anyone else with you whom you please. Admiral Onasi is also sending a squad of soldiers to Dantooine to aid you," said Vandar. "Quaid here, has to decided to join you." He motioned toward the exile. "And we will not prohibit him from it."

"And what of Atton?" asked the exile.

"He will be transferred to your ship very shortly. He is to be under guard until you depart. After that, he is your responsibility."

"We can take care of him, Master Vandar," assured Revan.

"Very well, then. If you have questions, you should ask them now. If not, we would like to have a few words with Quaid alone, if you don't mind." Quaid looked around, puzzled.

"Of course, Master Vandar," Revan nodded. He and Bastila rose and left the chambers. Once they were gone, Vandar and Kavar focused on the exile who sat before them. As they stood up, Quaid felt a pang of nervousness in his chest.

"Quaid, are you alright?" he heard Kavar ask. The question itself practically dumbfounded him. What was it supposed to mean. Of all the questions he had been expecting, this was not one of them. He spent an effort struggling to reply. What would he say?

At last, he stammered, "Yes, yes I am."

Vandar nodded. "Kavar and I and some other council members realize all that you have been through. We want you to know that if there is anything we can do to help, we will."

"And if you ever have any doubts about this mission," Kavar added, "please let your friends know. The scars of Malachor V are not easily faded."

The sudden concern from the two Masters had caught Quaid off guard. A surge of emotions flared in him. He felt gratitude and content, but with it came anger and resentment. His thoughts flashed back to his trial years ago. It was these two Masters who helped in his exile…and now they were trying to make amends?

"It's not fair…" he thought. They were not the ones scarred by a single atrocity. They were not the ones who spent years in exile. They were not the ones who were punished and condemned by those who were supposed to be their friends! Resentment boiled inside of him. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished, leaving only regret. He looked up and noticed that his fists were clenched. Kavar and Vandar looked at him with worried, yet sympathetic eyes.

"We know we took part in your exile, Quaid," said Vandar solemnly. "The crime committed that day was by us, not you. We sincerely regret our actions that day. Such actions are contradicting of the very lessons we teach. It was wrong of us, and we want you to know how sorry we are for putting you through it."

The emotions surged in Quaid again. He was shocked, to say the least. An apology? From a Master? How unusual… He felt anger growing again, only it was of a different kind. He wanted to be angry at them. He wanted to hate them, but he couldn't. He felt in his heart that they were truly sorry. No, he couldn't be angry at them, no matter how hard he tried.

He winced and replied with a simple "Thank you."

Both Masters nodded. Vandar clutched his walking stick stood up. "Are you sure you are ready to undertake this task? There can be no doubt in your mind."

Quaid thought over his question. Malachor V still burned within him, but the pain of being a helpless exile scared him even more. He knew that whatever he faced, he would do all he could to ensure that the Sith didn't destroy the very thing he fought so hard for. He met the Masters' gaze and replied with a firm "I am ready. There is no doubt in my mind."

"Very well," said Kavar. "And thank you, too, Quaid. But before you go, one last thing."

"Yes?" the exile asked.

"We know you were exiled long ago, but if you should want too…be re-accepted into the order, Vandar and I will do all we can to see that you become a Jedi again."

"Kavar speaks for both of us. If we can, we will see that you are accepted into the ranks of Jedi once more. We feel you have earned the right to carry your lightsaber again."

Once more, Quaid was at a loss for words. He was so angry at the Jedi for so long, yet…he realized that the Jedi was where he belonged. He **did** want to be a Jedi again, but…

"Masters, I don't think it's really that important anymore, but…thank you. Thank both of you."

"You are welcome, Quaid," Vandar responded. He straightened up. "But we will still do what we can to see that you are a Jedi once more. Now, I believe you and your friends have a job to do."

A newfound smile emerged from Quaid's face. A new hope budded inside of him. The anger and regret slowly faded away and were replaced with something new. The regret was still there, but not as strong. "Yes, Masters," he replied, and with a confident nod he exited the council's chambers while Vandar and Kavar watched.

"Farewell, exile," said Vandar softly. Kavar looked down at the small Master.

"Strong-willed, that one. The way he carries on is just…inspiring."

Vandar nodded. "Perhaps this is what he needed, not exile. A chance of redemption, like Revan had."

"And Bastila, don't forget," added Kavar.

"Indeed. Bastila has made such progress these past two years. She is much stronger since the wars," Vandar observed.

"She has. Whether it was her bond with Revan, or her trials at the hands of the darkside, I know not. Or it could be both."

"I think you speak the truth. May the force be with them."

Kavar nodded. "May the force be with all of us."

Quaid stepped out of the chambers, where he encountered Revan and Bastila. "Quaid, what happened in there?" he asked.

Quaid paused for a moment. "Oh, nothing. Let's get moving!"

Revan decided not to ask anymore questions, although he and Bastila both took note of his improved mood. For Quaid, it was like his wound had healed a little, just enough to make it ignorable for the time.

Right before the three exited the temple, a voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Revan," the voice called. The three Jedi turned to see Kreia standing silently near a wall. Quaid found it almost uncanny how she seemed to blend in with her surroundings.

"May I see you and the exile?" she asked silently and coolly.

Quaid and Revan glanced at each other, then shrugged. "Bastila, wait here," Revan told her, while noticing her look of contempt.

They approached her as she stood there, almost indifferent to her surroundings.

"Yes, Master Kreia?" Revan asked. She responded, keeping her eyes hidden beneath her hood as she spoke.

"You are about to embark upon a new task, my young knights," she said coolly. "Your war has no place for me, so I must remain here, unfortunately. As such, I will not be able to guide either of you. Before you depart, I must advise each of you."

Revan and the exile listened with interest, yet confusion.

"You will undoubtedly face many trials along your way. You will face new decisions and hardships as you go. The force has granted me sight, and this task may yet prove to be far more and more difficult than you expected."

"What have you seen?" asked Revan with concern. She only grinned calmly.

"It is not my place to tell, or to know. I have not had a vision, as much as a feeling. You will find out, though, in due time. So will the Jedi." She turned to Quaid.

"You, my precious exile. I leave you with these words: always remember what I told you on our first encounter. And remember that you can find help in the most unlikely places." She faced Revan. "You have the power. Don't be afraid to use it to its fullest, even if you use it from both sides. Let nothing stand in your way. And be careful – do not let your feelings for those around you cloud your judgment, and this goes for both of you. Let no such attachments hinder your rise to power. If need be, get rid of them. Do not be afraid to sacrifice your use them for your ends."

"Are you referring to Bastila?" Revan asked. "If you are, she is--"

"I will leave you to determine that for yourself. If the both of you see any hindrance in those around you…cut them off. Jedi or Sith, don't be afraid to use either to achieve your goals." The sly grin returned to her face. "Lightside or darkside, recognize the power of both."

Revan and Quaid stood dumbstruck for a moment. "Farewell, Kreia," they said after a time. She only nodded in response. As the Revan and Quaid approached the exit, Revan grabbed a surprised Bastila by the arm and led her out of the enclave. Kreia's wicked grin spread even further, and she laughed silently as she strode off to her own destination.

"Revan what did she say?" asked Bastila both earnestly and angrily.

"I'll tell you later, Bastila. I promise," he replied.

* * *

A quick shuttle ride later, the three returned to the Ebon Hawk, which was being prepared for take off. Carth Onasi stood next to a couple Republic soldiers who were guarding a bored Atton Rand outside of the Hawk. A surly-faced Mission was sitting on the entry ramp, looking glumly at her feet. She practically leaped up when she noticed Revan's return.

"Hey guys! You came back!" She stopped in front of them and had a pleading look in her face. Revan already knew what she was thinking.

"Mission, I'm sorry," he began. "You can't come." Her face turned an instant shade of purple.

"That's not fair! You can't just ditch me like this!"

"Mission!" Revan avoided yelling as much as he could. "I would take you along, but I can't put you in danger like this!"

"But we've been through this before! I've been through this before! It's not fair!"

"Mission, you're staying here with Carth," Revan replied firmly. She glared at him, purple-faced, at a loss for words. Her fists were clenched so hard they were trembling. "Carth!" Revan called. The Admiral stepped forward while the soldiers dragged Atton along with him.

"Well, you asked for him, so here he is," said Carth with a faint trace of humor. "Release him." The soldiers released the energy bonds around Atton. As soon as they were off Atton pumped his hands into the air.

"Yes! Oh god, I thought I'd never get those off!" He looked around at his company and then at the Ebon Hawk. "So this is you're ship, huh? Not bad. Not bad at all. It's gonna be fun to fly this thing."

"Yeah, well don't get any ideas, Atton," responded Revan menacingly. "Any thoughts about taking this thing joyriding, and you can just go back to your cell." He wasn't really angry with Atton, but it didn't hurt to instill a little intimidation to earn someone's cooperation.

Atton raised his hands defensively. "Alright, alright! Don't get mad at me! Sheesh."

"Yeah, you just behave yourself Atton," Carth warned. "Most prisoners wouldn't get to exchange a prison sentence for a piloting job."

"Right," said Atton, almost distantly.

"Well, he's with us now, Carth. Don't worry about him. Oh, HK!" Revan called. Almost instantly the red droid stepped out of the Ebon Hawk.

"Acknowledgment: You want something, master?" the droid responded.

"HK, I'd like you to meet Quaid Darin. He's going to be a new guest on the Ebon Hawk. And this is Atton Rand, he's going to be our new pilot. Say hello, HK."

"Sarcastic greeting: Hello, my wonderful new friends! It is an honor to have you on my master's ship!"

"Hmm. Nice droid you got there," grunted Atton.

"HK-47!" remarked Quaid. "Boy. The droid I've heard so much about. Where did you disappear to after the Mandalorian Wars?"

"Answer: It is a long story, meatbag. Perhaps I will tell you later."

"You know, HK," said Revan, "Atton here needs to be under guard. If he does anything funny, I may need you to wipe him out."

Atton seemed rather dismayed at Revan's comment.

"Statement: Oh, very good, master! I can already feel my behavior core quivering with a sense of what you meatbags call 'excitement'!"

"Well, this looks like it will be a fun trip," remarked Bastila amusedly. Not a moment after Jolee Bindo emerged from the Ebon Hawk.

"Well, hello children! You didn't think you'd be leaving without me, did you?"

"Jolee?" cried Revan.

"He came over not long ago. Guess he wants to help out to," said Mission glumly.

"Well, good to have you aboard, Jolee!" said Revan. "If everyone's ready,…"

Carth approached them and shook each of their hands. "Farewell, you guys. Take good care of yourselves!"

"We will, Carth," said Revan.

"And don't worry about Mission. I promise I'll take care of her." Mission said nothing, but stared at the ground.

"Okay, Carth. Farewell!" The pack waved goodbye to Carth and Mission.

"Farewell, Mission!" called Revan and Bastila. Mission only waved weakly in response as they boarded the Ebon Hawk. Carth placed a comforting shoulder on her arm.

"Don't worry, Mission. They'll be fine. You'll see them again." She remained silent. Tears were budding in her eyes, and Carth could tell she was struggling to keep them in. He wrapped a arm around her. "Come on, kiddo." He led her slowly away from the Ebon Hawk.

* * *

"Everyone strap in back there, we'll be taking off soon," said Revan through the intercom. After tapping a few buttons and quick tutorial with Atton, the hawk was ready to fly.

"Alright, we're ready to take off," Atton spoke into the intercom. As he ignited the engines, a signal rang out in the cockpit.

"What's that?" asked Atton, shocked.

* * *

Carth and Mission slowly traversed the hall away from the Ebon Hawk. Before they got very far, Carth's communicator pierced the silence.

"This is Carth Onasi," he said into the device. "Yes, Admiral Cede?"

The two Republic soldiers stared at their commander, oblivious to anything around them. None of them noticed the azure form next to them slowly blend in with the surroundings.

"Yes, Admiral. I'll be there shortly. Farewell." Carth hung up his communicator. He turned to where Mission was standing. "Well, Mission, maybe later we can—Mission? Mission? Damn it!"

She was gone.

* * *

After examining the panel, Revan found the source. "The entry ramp is still down! We forgot to close it." A few minutes later, and the ramp was up.

"Here we go," Atton breathed. The hot engines of the Ebon Hawk fired up. The sleek ship rose steadily into the air. It's engines fired again, and the ship hurtled on its way to Dantooine.

* * *

Urgh…sorry this took so long to get out. As I said, I was loaded with unexpected housework. And I guess the summer lazies got the best of me. : P. I'll try to get the next chapter posted sooner, and finally things will start happening. See you next time. 


	11. Chapter 10: Arrival

Sorry about the wait. Now that my computer's fixed I can actually post this chapter. : ( Computer problems can be hell sometimes, but it's okay now. NOTE: I have an announcement at the end of this chapter concerning a new fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or KOTOR.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Arrival**

The Ebon Hawk soared through the Stratosphere of Coruscant and into space. Within moments of exiting Coruscant's atmosphere, the Ebon Hawk disappeared into hyperspace toward Dantooine. Up in the cockpit, Revan leaned back in his chair and unstrapped himself.

"Well, Atton, the Ebon Hawk's now in your hands. Just don't do anything stupid or HK will have his fantasy fulfilled." He patted Atton's head mockingly. He switched on the intercom and announced that they had reached hyperspace and could unfasten themselves.

"Wonderful," Atton replied sarcastically. "Yeah, you can go and have fun in the main hold with that bloodthirsty droid of yours. I'll be up here in the nice comfortable cockpit with lots of fun things to do."

"And that's why we've brought you along. Have fun." Revan exited the cockpit and headed for the main hold, where Bastila, Quaid, and Jolee had just risen from their seats. "Well, until we reach Dantooine, we'll have to make due with what we have aboard this ship," he said as they stretched.

"Revan, we should probably sharpen up on our dueling in the meantime. With Atton at the controls, we should have more time to do that," Bastila suggested.

Revan nodded. "All four of us should practice our dueling. It can't hurt." He faced Quaid. "I'm sorry we don't have a lightsaber for you, but if we face Sith in battle, we might be able to get you a used one, if you get my drift."

Quaid stifled a chuckle and nodded. "It's alright if you can't get one. I've gotten pretty good with a vibrosword lately. Facing the Sith aboard Peragus was excellent practice."

"Well, I think it's right you have one. I don't care what anyone says, you're still a Jedi in my book."

"Thanks, Revan."

"Well, before we get into a big dueling frenzy here, can we eat first?" asked Jolee. "I could use some of that gunk that comes out of the synthesizer."

"I think we all could use some food," replied Revan. "I'll get some out of the cargo hold." As he turned to leave, Bastila called out.

"You may want to get some for Atton, in case he wants some."

"Alright."

Upon arriving at the cargo hold, Revan stooped to retrieve some food from the storage crate. As he was opening the lid a sudden disturbance in the force caught him off guard. His senses heightened and he quickly surveyed his surroundings. He sensed a presence in the room. _Someone_ was in there with him.

He slowly rose and gripped the lightsaber strapped to his waist. "Who's there?" he called out.

No answer.

He drew the lightsaber from its sheath and ignited it. The blade shot from the hilt and illuminated the air in a bright blue glow. While he was more of a Jedi consular, he had always preferred the color of the guardian. "Who's there?" he called out again more fiercely. "Come out or I'll--"

"Wait! Don't hurt me!" a young, feminine voice cried. "It's me! Mission!" Her small, stooped azure form appeared next to the wall as she brought herself out of stealth. The sight of her practically made Revan leap out of his skin.

"Mission!" he yelled with a mix of anger and shock. "You…where…how did you-"

"Please don't be mad at me," she whimpered. "I couldn't help it."

Before Revan could say anything Bastila appeared in the entrance. She caught sight of Revan's green lightsaber. "Revan, what's going on he-…Mission? How in the force did you get here?"

"Please, don't be angry at me! I couldn't think! I just couldn't help myself."

"Slow down, Mission," Bastila replied calmly. "What are you doing here?" She walked over to Mission and stopped beside her. Regaining his equilibrium, Revan switched off his lightsaber and stuffed it into its holster.

"Mission, what are you doing here?" Bastila repeated coolly.

"I'm sorry," Mission replied meekly. "I wanted to come with you guys so badly. Carth was leading me away from you guys, but he got distracted. When I saw my chance I…I just couldn't help it. I snuck away and boarded."

"Mission…" Bastila shook her head. Revan approached and stopped over Mission. He and Bastila both had to force themselves not to laugh.

"My dear Mission," Revan began. "You truly never stop amazing me." He noticed her smile slightly at his comment. "But I must impress upon you the seriousness of this."

"Please, don't make me go back, guys!" she pleaded. "I promise I won't get in the way of anything! I'll help out if I can, just please don't take me back!" She knelt down on the ground begging.

"We'll think about it if you tell us how you got on," Revan replied.

"I snuck on before you guys lifted the entry ramp. After that I hid in the cargo hold before you blasted off. Jolee said I could hide in there if--"

"Jolee? What did he have to do with it?" asked Revan surprised.

"I talked to him earlier, and he 'suggested' that the cargo hold would be good if I didn't want to attract attention while boarding."

"Well, at least we know someone had an idea of what was happening," remarked Bastila.

"So, what now?"

"Well, it's too late to take you back anyway," Bastila folded her arms. "Don't worry, you can stay. Just try not to get into too much trouble."

"Really! Oh, thank you, guys! I promise you won't regret it!" She tackle-hugged Revan and Bastila.

"I here Atton loves pazaak, Mission. At least you and he will have something to do on the trip. That, or you could watch HK use him for target practice."

She giggled. "Thanks again, guys." She turned her head as Quaid and Jolee leaned in to see what was going on.

"Meet our newest crewmember, guys," Revan joked.

"How did she get here?" asked Quaid shocked.

"She managed to sneak past security before we lifted off. That, and she had a little assistance boarding." Revan arched an eyebrow at Jolee, who raised his hands and feigned innocence.

"What? What are you looking at me for?" he joked.

"Hmph. Never mind. Let's eat something, alright? I'm starving."

* * *

A little while later, after everything had settled, Quaid, Revan, and Bastila had resigned to conversing in the starboard dormitory. The conversation had drifted from childhood to the Mandalorian Wars to the present.

"Quaid," Revan asked after some hesitation. "What did Kreia tell you on Peragus? She said to remember what she told you."

Quaid looked up from his vibrosword. "She told me many things while we were there. Among them, she talked a lot of the force."

"Do tell," added Revan curiously.

"She told often of how the force acts through all things, yet it does so for reasons that might not seem clear to us. That both the lightside and darkside work through things."

"Well, that's not exactly new to Jedi philosophy, Quaid," Bastila reminded.

"Yes, but she said how the lightside and darkside are only two sides of one thing. They are in the end, one and the same. That there is no lightside or darkside except what we make of it. There is only the force. And it is something that we can manipulate to whatever end we choose."

"That sounds like the Sith teachings, too me," remarked Revan with increasing interest.

"That's what I thought at first. But she often said of how what we may think of as 'the right thing' may turn out to be the wrong thing. Take helping out a poor person in the street. You may think you're helping them by giving them aid, but are you really? If by doing that, would you only teach them to become dependant on others and not to look after themselves? Would you only be hurting them in the process?"

"Interesting. Go on."

"She also talked of our allies. She cautioned strongly against forming any bonds with your allies. She said that how they are to be used only when they are beneficial. Kreia spoke of how allies may only be a hindrance to some because we become too dependant on each other and then can no longer be self-sufficient. And if we're not careful, keeping allies around can only slow us down in our rise to power."

"Strange. And what do you make of this?" Revan asked.

"I really don't know. Kreia has this strange ability to sound like the word of the force itself when she speaks. I don't really know what to think. Needless to say, it's left me torn. What about you."

"I don't know, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with it," Bastila said hesitantly.

"Whatever she meant by it, I'm a little torn myself," Revan replied. "But I don't think it's something we can dwell on now."

Quaid shook his head. "Nevertheless, I can't help but wonder sometimes. Kreia is a strange old woman, that is for sure." The trio managed a weak laugh.

"Not as strange as Vrook," Revan joked.

"It's a pity though," Bastila muttered gloomily. "Some of the council have grown short-sighted, recently. Coming from one who once had blind faith in them, that is saying something. Of course, ones like Vandar and Kavar lend their wisdom, but others like Vrook are becoming an obstacle to others."

"You are right, I'm afraid," Revan replied. "But between them and the Sith, I still prefer them. Well, except maybe Vrook. But he doesn't count." Quaid and Bastila chuckled. "But we can only hope that they outgrown their fear toward change. Then, I think, the Jedi will truly be what they are meant to be."

Quaid and Bastila both nodded. Bastila stretched her arms.

"I'm tired. I could do with a good sleep. I'm going to turn in." She stood up and headed away from the dormitory.

"Goodnight, Bastila," Revan called.

"Goodnight, Revan," she responded.

After she had left, Revan noticed Quaid shoot him a devilish smile. "You know Revan, I have to hand it to you. You really know how to pick 'em."

"Who, Bastila?" Revan asked, playing dumb.

"You're lucky, Revan. I could tell she was a rare one just by looking at her. Ever since I was an apprentice and we were distance acquaintances, I could sense something special about her, and I'm not just talking about looks, although she is a pretty one."

"Yeah, well, hands off," Revan joked. "Have you ever been, er, involved with someone?"

Quaid shook his head. "Not really, I'm afraid. Being a Jedi, a war hero, and then an exile doesn't leave much time for relationships. I've had crushes and fantasies, of course, but not anything like what you'd call a 'relationship', and nothing close to an engagement."

Revan let out a long sigh. "Unfortunately, Bastila and I won't be able to marry until this whole thing with the Sith is pacified."

Quaid nodded. "I know. It's not fair that you and she should be thrust into this conflict so soon, and at the worst possible time. But still, you should count your lucky stars you have someone you can call your fiancé."

"Yes, you're right," Revan breathed. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "And don't worry, Quaid. You'll find someone. And if your luck is at all like mine, you might find it in the most unlikely place."

"You really think so?"

"If there is justice and a lightside, I'm sure of it."

"Well, here's to hope."

* * *

Bastila looked fearfully around her. All she could see was black. The blackness seemed to pierce her skin smother her. She looked desperately around for something…light or any way out of the blackness, but there was none.

Then she sensed something. Something malevolent was behind her. Slowly, she apprehensively turned to face whatever was behind her. The sight practically made her scream.

It was the _eyes_ again. Those large, blue, inhuman eyes stared at her in the darkness. Slowly the eyes drifted toward her. Gradually a shape emerged around the eyes, revealing a creature that vaguely resembled a human, but the darkness prevented her from making out anything else. What happened next chilled her to the core.

As the creature moved toward her, it's eyes turned from bright blue to a bloody red. Bastila sensed that the creature intended to harm her. Before the creature could draw any nearer, a blue light illuminated the darkness. She turned and beheld Revan with his lightsaber drawn, running to defend Bastila, who instantly felt a wave of relief.

The creature leapt away from Bastila, but then knelt down and stood still. Revan stood his ground, preparing to strike the creature if it moved again. Then, something else happened. A shape emerged next to the creature. The darkness moved to form a tall figure clad in deep black robes. Bastila's fear resurfaced. She felt the figure had once been human, but now it was something horribly far from it.

Where the face should have been was a pale, corpse-like mask with red lines running across the sides, which reminded Bastila of blood streaks. The eyeholes were empty and seemed to be bottomless pits of darkness. Bastila looked at Revan, who seemed unsure of what to do. She focused once again on the creature with red eyes, which knelt next to the dark figure, only…

There were now _two_ sets of eyes. Then four…then eight…soon there seemed to be hundreds of creatures in the darkness. They encircled the two Jedi, trapping them. Bastila sensed they were somehow being controlled by the masked figure.

Revan raised his lightsaber and leapt out to attack the masked figure, but soon collapsed on the ground and was gasping. Bastila felt her desperation rising. The masked figure seemed to be draining the life out of Revan. He was helpless, and the creatures moved closer to take Bastila.

Bastila struggled. She wanted to help Revan, to attack the creatures, but she was unable to move. She was helpless. She could only watch in vain as Revan lay before her, dying, and the creatures moved in for the kill. Tears welled in her eyes. With one last outburst of desperation, she raised her head and cried out.

"REVAN!"

* * *

Her own cry jolted her awake. Once again she was greeting by the gray interior of the Ebon Hawk. Mission, who had been sleeping, sat up suddenly to see where the cry had come from.

"Bastila? Are you okay?" she asked with concern.

Not wanting to alarm Mission, Bastila nodded her head. "I'm fine. It was just a…a bad dream. It's okay. Go back to sleep."

Mission wanted to ask more but decided against it and lay back down. Bastila slowly stood up from her bed and exited the dormitory.

Revan awoke when he felt Bastila's emotions surge through their bond. Sensing her fear, he emerged from the dormitory to look for her. He found in the main hold on one of the seats, crying and shivering in the darkness.

"Bastila? Bastila what's wrong?" He sat down next to Bastila and wrapped his arms around her. "What happened, sweetie?" he asked sincerely, trying desperately to calm her.

"Did…did you see it?" she asked through her sobs.

"See what?"

Her eyes met his with a renewed fear. "You didn't see it? Oh no…"

"What did you see?"

She lowered her gaze. "A-a horrible dream…or a vision. It was horrible. You were there…and I saw…I saw it again! The eyes!"

Revan felt worry rising in himself. "What happened? What did you see?" he asked again, trying to sound calm.

Bastila related to Revan through her tears all that she had seen in her dream. She told of the creatures and the tall, masked figure, and what had happened to him.

"And you were dying, Revan!" she cried. "And I was helpless! There was nothing I could do!" Tears still rolled down her cheeks. Her ocean-blue eyes were outlined in red from all the sobbing.

Revan calmly hushed her. "It's okay, Bastila. I'm here." He held her tightly to him, sending comfort to her through words and through their bond. He felt a small sense of relief as her tears slowly faded.

"I'm frightened, Revan," she muttered at last. "Why didn't you see it? Normally we share visions such as these. What does it mean?"

Revan was unsure himself. "I don't know, Bastila. But can we be sure it was a vision? Perhaps it wasn't."

"But it felt so, so real!" she protested. "I felt like I was really there."

"Shh. We all have vivid dreams, Bastila. Maybe this was one…I hope that this was one. If this was indeed a vision, then we cannot be sure that is even sure to happen. Don't forget, the future is not written, and whether or not visions become real is up to us."

The last of Bastila's tears fell from her eyes. She sniffled and managed a weak smile in the dark. "I know. It was just so…terrible. I love you, Revan. I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either. It's okay, Bastila." He kissed her on the cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked after a short while.

"Yes," she answered softly. Her eyes closed as she rested contentedly in his arms. Revan felt sleep overpowering him as well. Before they knew it, they both fell asleep in the main hold.

The pair was discovered by Quaid, who decided not to disturb them. The crew didn't ask what had happened when they were discovered. Revan didn't tell Quaid until later what had happened. The rest of the trip passed without incident, the strong-willed Bastila managed to recover from the shock of her vision, and soon the crew arrived on Dantooine.

* * *

"Alright," Revan addressed the crew after their landing. "Bastila, Quaid, Jolee, and I have to meet up with the others. We're on a very important mission, and we cannot afford to take risks. Atton and Mission, I'm afraid you'll have to stay here.

"Stay here and do what?" asked Mission, disappointed.

"You wanted to come here, Mission," Revan huffed. "You'll have to do as you're told, even if it means staying here until we find out what you can do." Mission folded her arms and scowled. Bastila had to cover her mouth to conceal her laugh.

"So I guess I'll just sit here, too? Lounge around until we have to fly this crate again?" Atton asked with monotone.

"Unfortunately, yes, but don't even think about trying anything funny. When we get back, this Hawk better still be here. HK!"

"Acknowledgement: Yes, master?"

"While I'm gone, make sure Atton here does nothing to Mission or with the ship. If he does, you have my full permission to blast him."

"Exclamatory: Oh, yes, master! Very good! It would be more than fun to watch his entrails spill all over the interior of the vessel."

"Um, right," Atton eyed the droid nervously. Just then, a loud beeping noise emanated from the cockpit. "That would be a signal for you, master," Atton said with heavy sarcasm in the last word. Revan ignored him and headed toward the cockpit.

Upon reaching the console, he pressed a button and the image revealed the very familiar face of Carth, looking quite stressed.

"Revan! Is Mission with you?" he asked, not bothering to stall the point.

Revan staggered for an instant, but then replied with a grin, "Yes, she's here Carth. The little sneak managed to board my ship." He noticed Carth breathe a huge sigh of relief. He perked up his eyes and looked behind Revan. Sure enough, Mission had stopped in to listen, no doubt after hearing her name.

"Mission!" Carth yelled, laughing heartily. "Geez, you are one slippery gizka. I had people searching Coruscant for you, though I'll say I'm not surprised to find you here at all. Glad to see you're okay, though. I'll have to say, some of you reminds me of Dustil."

"Aw, thanks Carth," Mission replied with a sickly-sweet voice. She then blushed slightly. "Sorry, by the way. I wasn't really thinking. Sorry I worried you so much."

Carth shook his head. "Well, as long as your okay, kiddo. And I figured you were with Revan, anyway. You just take care, Mission. And that goes for the rest of you!" He nodded toward Revan. "So long, guys. Good luck!"

"Farewell, Carth," Revan said.

"Bye, Carth!" Mission waved. The two then re-entered the main hold.

"What did Carth want?" asked Bastila, although aware she didn't really need to ask.

"He was just worried about are little blue gizka, here," Revan replied.

"Hey, Revan!" Mission blushed.

Revan turned his attention to Bastila, Quaid, and Jolee. "Well, they said that Dustil and Yuthura were in the Khoonda settlement. We'd better get a move on and meet them."

* * *

A short while later they came to the government building, which was located on what used to be the Matale estate. The scenery reminded Revan of when he was caught between the huge family feud between the Matales and the Sandrals. Where they were now, he had no idea. If they survived the bombing of Dantooine, they made no attempt to resettle there.

It didn't take them long to find a group of Jedi inside the mansion. Near the group stood two familiar faces: a violet-skinned Twi'lek and a black-haired teenager. Yuthura Ban and Dustil Onasi.

"Greetings, Yuthura. Hello, Dustil," greeted Revan. Dustil responded with a nod.

"Greetings to you, too, my friends. It's good to see you all again." She shook each of their hands and looked at Quaid curiously.

"I don't believe we've met before. You are?" she asked him.

"I'm, um…Quaid. Quaid Darin."

"Oh," Yuthura seemed to hesitate for a moment. Revan's stomach tightened. While she didn't recognize the exile, she had certainly heard of him. He hoped that Yuthura didn't share the same disdain for Quaid some of the other Jedi had. "It's good to meet you, Quaid. Welcome back." She shook his hand warmly, which Quaid returned with a smile. Revan let out a breath of relief.

"I've heard much about you. You helped save the Republic in the Mandalorian Wars, did you not?"

"Well, there's a story behind that," Quaid said uneasily.

"Hmm. I'm curious as to what you've been up to lately. You'll have to tell me your story sometime."

"Yes, I'll have to," Quaid replied, once again at ease. Yuthura focused her attention to Revan and Bastila. Before she could begin, Dustil motioned at Quaid.

"Quaid, could I see you for a moment?" he asked.

Quaid, with a look of confusion, nodded and followed Dustil out of the room. Once they were in private, Dustil drew out a cloth wrapped around a long, slender object. Quaid felt his stomach tighten and his heart leap at the sight.

"It was sent to me from one of the masters, but I don't know who. He or she wanted me to give it to you." He unwrapped the cloth to reveal a lightsaber. Slowly, he handed it to Quaid. "Can't say I disagree. You've been away from our order too long. I know the feeling, having been with the Sith. Besides, the vibrosword looked ugly, anyway. I was also told to tell you that it was a gift." He folded his arms and grinned warmly.

Quaid looked at it, holding it gingerly in his hands as if it was a delicate antique. Slowly, he pressed the button and a brilliant green light shot out from the hilt. It's soft hum seemed almost alien to Quaid, who had not held a lightsaber for so long. It was like being reunited with an old friend.

He remembered that his lightsaber was green before…before he went red and into darkness. He was more of a guardian than consular, but he had always liked the color green. He slowly twirled the saber, the feel of it returning quickly to him. With awe in his eyes, he pressed the button and the blade withdrew. He once again regarded Dustil.

"Thank you, and thanks to whichever master sent it to me." He didn't realize it, but he was close to tears. The lightsaber was more than a weapon: it was status. Some member or members considered him worthy to rejoin, yet could not get it to be official. His mind flashed at once to Vandar and Kavar.

With a nod toward the door, Quaid and Dustil left the room to rejoin the group. Once arriving, Yuthura finally addressed the crowd. Revan and Bastila both took notice of his lightsaber. Their eyes widened considerably almost simultaneously, a site which made Quaid almost laugh out loud. Remembering the Mission, the three of them focused intensely on Yuthura.

"Master Vandar put me in charge of the strike team until you two arrived," she said. "Come with me." She led them to a room lined with computer consoles. They stopped at a large screen showing what appeared to be a map the region of Dantooine they were in.

"The Sith arrived shortly before we did. We tracked one of their ships landing near the old Jedi enclave." She pointed at a black shape on the map, which represented the ruined academy.

"We have every reason to believe they were looking for something inside the ruins. Our first task is to go and investigate the enclave, and then secure it, a task that will not be easy. Most likely they have left forces behind to take care of any Jedi on their trail, but if we're careful, we will be ready for them. Once we're done, we can track where the rest of the Sith have gone."

"Well, let's not waste any time, then. The sooner we get to the enclave, the better," Bastila said.

Yuthura grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that. Let's go."

They returned to the group of Jedi and called them to attention. "Everyone, you will now give your attention to Revan," Yuthura commanded. "He is now your leader for this mission."

"Everyone!" Revan called. "The Sith have resurfaced, and they are here on Dantooine. They have tried to remain covert, but fortunately they have not succeeded in that. We are to go to the enclave, eradicate any Sith presence, and find out where they are headed. If we succeed, we will stop this menace before it resurfaces."

The crowd of Jedi applauded. Revan raised a hand to silence them. "We will go in three teams. First team will come with me, second will go with Bastila, the third will go with Yuthura." He eyed Quaid, meaning that he meant to know how he came into possession of a lightsaber. Quaid felt more than happy to comply when the time came.

A short while later, the group of Jedi emerged from the building and headed off toward the Jedi enclave. Despite their caution, the group was unaware that blind eyes were watching them.

"Too many," Visas thought. "Too many for me to handle alone. No matter." She shifted her attention back toward the rest of the Khoonda settlement. "I can strike them from other places."

* * *

And there it is. I know the exile has to build his own lightsaber, but I couldn't wait to give him one and I thought it added a nice touch. ; ) And now for the announcement: I'll be posting a new fic soon, but it won't be a KOTOR fic. My next fic will be an (hopefully shorter) homage to Teen Titans and _War of the Worlds _by H.G. Wells. If any of you are fans of either, you can check it out. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update it, since this is still my main fic. Adios. 


	12. Chapter 11: The Scouring

And now for Chapter 11 (and one of the longest yet)! Whew, this fic is already going to be longer than I thought. Coming up is a long-needed fight scene as well. I was kind of 'inspired' by the Neo/Trinity fight scenes from _The Matrix_ for the Revan/Bastila one. Hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Chapter 11: The Scouring 

The group of Jedi traversed on foot through Dantooine's rolling hills toward the academy. Revan couldn't believe that he was coming back here so soon. Quaid seemed to be getting along easily, despite the occasional glances he received from the other Jedi in the group.

The group hurried through the wilderness until the crumbling ruins of the old academy came into view. Dustil Onasi pointed at it and spoke to the rest.

"Right there is where we tracked one of their ships. We should move along covertly." Revan nodded in agreement, and had everyone move into a thicket of trees and thick grass. With a motion of his hand he summoned his group to him and addressed the rest.

"Everyone hide behind whatever you can. My group is going to proceed to the academy alone until we are sure the entrance is secured. If the Sith spot us, it will be a lot easier to take them down if they believe there are less of us than their really are. If we are attacked, do not assist us unless I signal for you to do so. If I do, then I want Bastila's group to come down first. If we still need help, then Yuthura's group will come down last. Is that understood?" The group nodded. "Any questions?" he asked. No answer.

"Okay," he huffed. "My group, follow me. The rest of you stay put and avoid being seen. If you see something, be sure to notify us through the communicator, but use it only when necessary." The squad moved out. Jolee stayed with Revan's group, Quaid stayed with Bastila, and Dustil with Yuthura.

"**Be careful, Revan,"** Bastila whispered through their bond. She noticed him smirk slightly in response.

"**Aren't I always?"** he asked.

"**Somehow, I knew you'd say that,"** she answered.

Revan led the group of six Jedi toward the enclave. The sprawling edifice glinted in the sunlight, and despite it's dilapidated state, it looked almost beautiful in a sad way. Revan reached out with his sense through the force. He couldn't detect any Sith presence…yet.

"This sure does bring back a lot of memories every time I see it," Jolee sighed. "Good and bad. You know, I can remember when Vrook was just an apprentice. He was uptight then, he's no different now. He'd consult the Jedi code before kissing his woman just to make sure he does it in proper Jedi fashion."

Revan laughed. "Well, Vrook doesn't even have a woman. Just give him the Jedi code and he's satisfied."

Jolee laughed heartily. "True, true." Revan noticed some of the other Jedi snicker as well. Those who did not find it funny either ignored the comment or shot them icy glares. The group continued to proceed toward the temple until they just reached one of the connecting bridges. Revan concentrated and sent the image of the enclave to Bastila through their bond.

With a quick motion of his hand Revan signaled for the rest to cross the bridge. They softly crossed the metallic path and neared the academy until they had reached its shadow. The group followed Revan to the upper-academy entrance, where they found a most peculiar site.

"The entrance has been disturbed," Revan remarked, stepping closer to the entrance. "The rubble has been cleared!" He concentrated once more and conveyed the image to Bastila. Some of the Jedi behind him gasped, Jolee merely regarded it with stony silence. Revan carefully examined the entrance. The rubble had indeed been cleared, and very recently by the looks of it. The door was still shut, and it didn't appear to have taken any blows or lightsaber cuts.

Revan could only wager that it had been force-pushed open. He felt a mixture of anger and eagerness to get inside. He felt angry that the Sith had defiled the place with their presence, and he was eager to get inside and get them out. Slowly he raised his hand to the door and focused; focused on moving it open. The door creaked and groaned as it parted inch by inch.

Suddenly, when it was just a few inches open, Revan felt another disturbance in the force. He could sense someone watching him from…from nearby! He focused more on his surroundings and felt more presences then there should have been. He concentrated even more and focused on where the disturbance had come from. He felt something…and braced himself. In a quick flash that was barely perceptible, Revan drew out both his lightsabers and leapt into the air toward a place near the entrance.

The spot he was aiming for appeared to be empty air, but within seconds of reaching it a red beam burst out of nowhere and blocked his strike. A form materialized out of thin air, revealing a black-clad Sith Revan knew to be an assassin. The group, realizing what had happened, all drew their lightsabers.

Revan saw four other black forms materialize, all accompanied by red sabers. The four other assassins descended upon the group. The Jedi immediately dispersed to combat the intruders. Revan felt a surge of emotion through their bond. Bastila knew what was happening, and Revan could tell she was struggling with all her might to not come and help him.

"**Don't worry, Bastila. We can handle them,"** he communicated.

Revan focused on his opponent, who was striking very offensively with quick blows. The assassin's red saber clashed repeatedly with his blue and violet sabers. The loud cracks and hisses of combat filled the air. Revan felt confident in the fight. The Sith were outnumbered and out-skilled. Nevertheless, he kept a level head. Overconfidence could be the greatest enemy.

The assassin made a stab at Revan's side, which Revan dodged countered with an offensive slash of his own. The masked assassin brought his own lightsaber up just in time to block his blow. With lightning reflexes the two dueled. Revan took a quick glimpse to the rest of the group to see what was happening. Jolee was tackling an assassin of his own. Each of the other Jedi had an opponent of their own, though four of the Jedi were attempting to tackle two of the assassins, who seemed to be holding their own quite well.

Revan noticed a flaw in the assassin's technique. He was too offensive, and so he was leaving himself vulnerable to Revan's counter-attacks. Three times he was only just able to dodge Revan's strikes after he had made a slash at Revan. He suddenly slashed at Revan's midsection, which he dodged with a leap into the air and several feet back. The assassin dove at Revan, keeping up with his offensive style. Revan once again blocked his blow.

Realizing that he must end this dual, Revan parried another of the assassin's mad strikes. With the Sith vulnerable, Revan used the opportunity to slash at the Sith right across his chest. The attack was successful, and the assassin fell to the ground dead. Not hesitating for a moment, Revan leapt to the assistance to two Padawans who were keeping an assassin at bay. With relative ease, Revan cut him down.

Jolee had finally managed to down his opponent, and with three of the five assassins already down, the fight was a give from there. After the skirmish Revan took account of casualties. No one had died, thankfully, but a female Padawan had received a slash to her left arm, leaving a nasty cut.

Revan, sensing that no other sentries were around, spoke to Bastila through the bond. **"Bring everyone down here."** At once he felt a rise of emotion from Bastila, who was no doubt eager to see the results of the fight. The other two groups of Jedi emerged from hiding and soon joined up with Revan's group in front of the enclave.

"Revan!" cried Bastila as she noticed the bodies lying around. "What happened here?"

"Sith assassins," he answered. "And they seemed well-trained, too. They were hiding outside the entrance, no doubt looking out for intruders." He nudged one of the bodies with his foot. "Probably set up as an ambush, too."

"Too bad," Yuthura noted. "We could have used one of them for information."

"Well, we'll just have to hope we can find it from someone else," Quaid added.

"Well, there's bound to be more Sith in the temple, so I don't think that will be a problem." Revan remarked. He once again remembered how he couldn't detect them at first. They had to have been well trained to avoid being detected, something Revan didn't feel comfortable with.

He approached the wounded Jedi. "Are you alright?" he asked her, examining her arm.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I don't think I'll be able to use this arm, though. Thank the force I'm right-handed." She let out a forced chuckle. Revan gently placed a hand over the wound and concentrated. He called upon the lightside of the force, and slowly the burn marks on her arm faded and the wound closed itself. It was still there, but it wasn't nearly as bad once he'd finished.

"It's still there, but a little kolto will heal that up some more. Someone get me a medpack!" Revan yelled. Another Jedi approached him and presented a medpack, which Revan took. "Thank you."

He removed a vial of kolto and spread the healing substance on her wound, after which he wrapped a bandage around it. "There. That should be okay. Think you can fight now?" he asked her. The young Jedi eagerly nodded her head.

"Yes, I can! Thank you, Knight Revan!" she said.

"No problem. Just don't make a habit of it," he replied warmly, at which she nodded and blushed slightly. No doubt she found the idea of being healed by Revan an honor.

"Yuthura, you and Dustil have your group wait outside," Revan said after refocusing on the task. "Bastila's and my group will go inside and investigate."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Yuthura sarcastically. Revan shot her a glance, at which she only raised an eyebrow at him with amusement. Bastila giggled to herself.

"Alright," Revan said, trying to maintain his command presence. "Let's move in. Everyone be on your guard. There's no telling what we'll find in there." After getting the entrance doors open, Revan and Bastila's group entered the ruined academy.

As they slowly traversed its crumbling halls, Quaid took it all in and marveled at all that had changed.

"It has changed," Quaid said out loud, barely above a whisper. "It has been some time. This place contains so many memories." He traced his hand along the wall as he walked. "It was so long since I walked these halls…now it is gone." Revan and Bastila noticed a tone of awe, curiosity, and regret in his voice. Revan said nothing, but merely placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I know this must be hard to take in," he whispered. He was shocked to see Quaid smile.

"I only regret that the last time I walked these halls, it was when I had told the council that I was going to war. I had argued with them, and that day I was angry with them because they refused to follow me. I only wish I could have parted with a better memory." He removed his hand from the wall.

"We all wish we could rewrite the past," Bastila whispered. "But it is the past in which we can look upon our mistakes and learn from them."

"The same goes for all of us," Revan agreed.

"You're not the only one who left with bad memories, kid," Jolee Bindo added. "But you probably know about that already." Quaid almost laughed.

"And you've made yourself famous for that," the exile responded. "You started the Jedi phrase 'pulling a Bindo'." The group almost laughed aloud, but Revan hushed them.

"Shh. We must keep quiet," Revan cautioned. The rest remained silent as they neared the end of the hall. Before them lay a room with an open roof. Some of the Jedi recognized it instantly. It was where the great tree of the academy used to be. It's branches used to reach past the roof and into the open air. Now, all that remained of the tree was a rotting stump.

The very sight of the room dampened the spirits of Revan, Bastila, Quaid, Jolee, and the rest of the Jedi that once trained there. So many memories did this room contain. Revan knew where to look if there was a Sith ship docked here. To his left was a pathway that rose up and lead to the academy's docks. It was where he docked the Ebon Hawk during his quest for the Star Forge.

Bastila approached the stump and gingerly touched it. An air of sadness hung around the empty halls of the enclave, a sadness that penetrated her spirit. She could feel through the bond the same sadness affecting Revan. Nevertheless, she fought her gloom and remained focused on the mission.

"Bastila," Revan called to her, "you and your squad remain here while I go and check out the docks."

"**Going off to do the fun part yourself again?" **she asked half-jesting.

"**Don't worry, princess. They'll be plenty of them for the both of us,"** he jested back.

"**Have fun." **And with that, Revan's squad left the room. They crawled up the ramp and finally reached the door that lead to the docks. Revan turned to the group.

"If a Sith ship landed here, it's beyond this door." He faced the door again. When he noticed the control panel, his heart leapt. It was lit! "Someone's reactivated the power to the academy!" he said to the squad.

He pressed a button to open it, but as he expected, it didn't open. "Hmm." He tried hacking into it, but it still wouldn't budge. He never was great at hacking. "Dang," he thought. "Now I do wish I had Mission here." There was rarely a door she couldn't open.

He then switched tactics and decided to try to force open the door. He reached out with the force to open it, but to his surprise, the door still resisted opening. Clearly, someone didn't want it opened.

"Stand back," he said to the group. He drew his lightsaber, ignited it, and thrust it at the door. He practically yelped when the beam bounced off. The door glowed green for an instant, then reverted to normal. It stood there unharmed. Revan cursed.

"Someone's placed an energy field around this door." Jolee mused. A disgruntled Revan turned to the group.

Well, we're not going to get in this way. Follow me. He led the group back downstairs into the large room.

"Revan! Did you find anything?" she asked him. He shook his head.

"The door is being protected. Someone has reactivated the power and has secured the door. Any suggestions, Bastila?"

She pondered for a moment then perked her eyes. "The main controls to the doors and the power are in the academy's sub-level. We should go down there if we want to get through that door."

"And do you think we can actually override the systems and shut it off?" Revan asked her.

"Well, I wouldn't be a Sentinel if I didn't have an ounce of brains in this head of mind. I'm sure one of us could do it."

That was enough for Revan. "Alright, we're going to the sub-level, everyone. But we're going to change groups for a bit." His eyes fell upon the exile. "Quaid, I want you to take control of Bastila's group. Wait here, and make sure no one gets in or out of that hangar. If you see any Sith, notify me immediately on the communicator." He then turned to Bastila. She noticed him wink at her with the eye that wasn't facing the rest of the Jedi. "Bastila, you're coming with me. I'll need you in the sub-level. Jolee, you'll stay with Quaid's group."

"What – tired of me already, kid?" the old Jedi smirked. "Oh, I see how it is."

Quaid almost laughed, and he noticed Bastila looking rather smug all of a sudden. She joined Revan's group. Revan spoke one last time to the exile. "Make sure no Sith try to escape into or out of the hangar. Give 'em hell if they do." The exile grinned and nodded at Revan. "Okay, let's go!" Revan commanded. He, Bastila, and the rest of their group headed for the enclave's exit.

* * *

Once outside, Revan filled Yuthura in on the plans, and then continued toward the sub-level's entrance. They neared the door. Moss was sprouting around the edges and near the bottom, and the doorway's color had faded from lack of upkeep. As with the upper-level entrance, the rubble had been cleared from this door. 

"This must be where the Sith are hiding," Bastila suggested.

Revan agreed. "I don't doubt that." The Sith weren't being that discreet about masking their presence so far; they left their traces everywhere. Once again, Revan reached out with the force and attempted to push it open. To his surprise, the doorway slid open rather easily.

"Well, at least that part was easy," Bastila mused.

"Ladies first." Revan mock-bowed and motioned toward the door like a servant.

"Oh, you are a true gentlemen," she responded sarcastically. A silent chuckle emerged from the rest of the Jedi. The group walked down the dark halls of the sub-level. The atmosphere seemed darker and more foreboding than the upper-level. As they came to a dark room, Revan noticed something on the floor beside Bastila. He shined a flashlight on it, and a pair of red eyes stared back at him.

Bastila jumped, but managed to stifle a cry when she saw the thing. When she saw Revan trying not to laugh, she shot him a cold glare.

"**That was not funny,"** she said to him through the bond.

"**Oh, yes it was,"** he communicated back, smiling. He shined the flashlight back on the thing, and it revealed a large, insect-like creature with blank red eyes lying on the floor.

"Laigreks?" one of the Jedi asked. Indeed it was.

"They must have infested this place while it was abandoned," Bastila hypothesized.

Revan nodded. "But this one is dead. I wonder what…" but he didn't have to finish. A closer inspection of it revealed several slash and burn marks on its body. Someone had killed it with a lightsaber. Revan shined his flashlight around the room, and noticed more laigrek bodies strewn across the floor, all bearing the same kind of wounds.

"That's just beautiful," he said dryly. "At least the Sith were kind enough to take care of them for us."

Bastila placed her hands over her eyes as she thought. "If I remember correctly, the power supply is somewhere in that direction." She pointed at a dark hallway ahead of them.

"No use staying here. Let's go," Revan commanded. They paced through the dark halls, occasionally coming across a dead laigrek. They neared a corner and Revan motioned for them to stop. Tiptoeing up to the corner, he carefully peered around. Within a second he snapped his back and motioned for Bastila to come closer. As silently as she could, she approached him. Revan pointed around the corner, meaning for Bastila to take a look. Taking a breath, she looked around the corner and gasped.

At the very end of the hall she spotted two black-clad dark Jedi exiting a room on the far end. The shorter one – a female – motioned for the other to follow her. Without a word they disappeared around the corner at the other end of the hall.

"Sentries, perhaps," Bastila whispered. "They're heading for the power control, I think."

"Maybe. We should follow them." The two Jedi crept around the corner and, once realizing it was safe, motioned for the others to follow. They stealthily made their way down the hall up to the corner. Revan and Bastila peered around again, and saw the two dark Jedi entering a room at the far end.

"**That should be it,"** Bastila communicated.

"Let's go," Revan whispered to the others. They slinked along the dark corridor toward the doorway. Once they were just in reach of them, Revan stopped the group and motioned for them to stand guard.

"**Follow me, Bastila."** She nodded and crept up behind him. Revan peaked into the room. The room was a large one, and it was lined with computer consoles and control panels throughout. It had every look of a power control. The dark Jedi, however, were not there.

"They're using stealth, Revan whispered as he and she entered the room. "You can come out, now," he said in a louder voice. Just then the door behind them closed, cutting them off from the rest of the group.

"Oh, that's beautiful," Revan said sarcastically.

"Revan," Bastila called to him. He turned, and there were the two Sith they had followed. Suddenly, two more assassins appeared out of stealth, then two more. The six dark Jedi stared at Revan and Bastila hungrily.

"You Jedi fools. As if we were stupid enough to not know you were here," the female assassin said.

"Well, the thought had occurred to me," Revan replied almost lazily.

"Aha. And what do we have here?" the assassin asked with amusement. "The two most famous traitors of our age. The prodigal knights Revan and Bastila," she said mockingly. The other dark Jedi glared at them. From behind, they could here the sounds of the group trying to break through the door in vain. Like the hangar doors, this one was energy-sealed.

"You two could have been the most powerful Sith of your age, the leaders or our order," a masked, male assassin spoke. "A pity you gave it all up to follow the foolish ideals of the Jedi."

"No. The only thing we gave up was death and destruction," Bastila growled. "The darkside promises many things, but the only thing it leads to is darkness and death. That same path awaits you. But it is not too late! You can turn away from—"

The female assassin cut her off. "Spare us your preaching, Jedi! We are not so weak or foolish to hear your lies. What did you hope to achieve by coming here? Nothing can stop us, not even you. The Sith will rise to supremacy once more. The master shall have his relic!"

"What relic?" Revan asked them.

"None of your concern, Jedi. At least, you won't be alive long enough to worry. Lord Nihilus will surely reward us for bringing him your lightsabers. Unless you surrender now, and maybe you can join us once more."

"Bastila," Revan began, "Which one do you want?"

"I'll take the stupid one," Bastila replied with a smirk. "The one who decided to talk and make threats instead of attacking us when she had the chance."

Revan laughed. The female assassin roared with rage and pulled out a lightsaber. She and the other five assassins all ignited their lightsabers, filling the room with their red glare. The two Jedi responded by drawing their own lightsabers.

Revan ignited his blue and violet sabers and brought them up. Bastila activated her golden-yellow double-bladed saber, twirled it, and lowered herself into a combat stance. "I told you there would be plenty for both of us," Revan said to her.

"Enough talk!" the assassin roared. "Let us end this now! Die, Jedi!" The six assassins lunged at the two Jedi. Within a split second, Bastila and Revan reached out to each other through their bond. Over the years, they had learned to execute this bond to their benefit in all situations, even combat. Practice enabled them to exploit the bond to its full potential and bring strength to both of them. Individually, both were powerful, but together the bond multiplied their strength even more. And the Sith would find out the hard way.

Revan and Bastila leaped high into the air and landed on opposite sides of the room. As they predicted, the six assassins split into groups of three to attack them individually. The two Jedi stared at their attackers intently with fire in their eyes. Revan's attackers came at him with full force. In a blinding flash of crimson, they brought their sabers down on him. Revan brought up his own sabers and managed to block all three of them. One of the assassins brought back his saber and attempted to thrust it into Revan's gut.

Revan twirled around to avoid the lightsaber blow while still blocking the other two. He leapt up into the air, did a somersault, and brought his lightsabers crashing down onto one of the attackers. The assassin blocked his blow, but was caught off balance. Revan took advantage of this by planting his hand on the assassin's chest and sweeping his legs out from under him. This allowed him a second to focus on the other two.

Meanwhile, Bastila's attackers attempted the same method. They brought their lightsabers down on her with an overhead sweep. Bastila raised her lightsaber and blocked two of them with each end of her yellow staff and pushed back with all her might to send them off balance. The third attacker attempted a slash at her chest, which she blocked with blinding speed. Leaping up into the air, Bastila sent a hard kick into the face of the third attacker and sent him crashing onto the ground.

Revan blocked and dodged the blows sent by his attackers while the third got up to his feet. The blinding flashes of blue against crimson lighted up the air around them. The cracks and hums of the lightsabers cut out all other noise in the room. When the third assassin finally got to his feet, he threw his lightsaber at Revan, who ducked just in time as the blade of energy whirled over his head. He then rolled on the floor in between two of the Sith as they attempted to strike him while he was on the ground. Stopping behind them, he snapped to his feet and sent out a force wave that sent all three of them into the wall.

With one attacker down momentarily, Bastila had an easier time parrying the blows brought by the other two assassins. Her yellow blade clashed again and again with the crimson blades of the Sith. In a move she had practiced before, Bastila ducked low as she twirled the lightsaber over her head. The lightsaber missed one of the Sith by inches, but managed to slash the other on the arm. Bastila wasted no time in switching to offensive mode. She brought her lightsaber down onto the uninjured attacker who was now defending himself against her blows. She brought up the other end of her lightsaber to block the strike of the one she had just injured. Finally, the third had gotten to her feet.

Revan used the temporary advantage to regain his footing. He force-leapt onto one of the Sith who managed to raise his lightsaber just in time to block him. The other two attackers slashed at him, but their lightsabers were once again blocked by Revan's blue lightsaber. With the violet one, he parried another blow from the third enemy. In a flash, Revan pushed against the opponent, brought his lightsaber back, and slashed at the assassin's midsection, this time hitting home. The assassin fell to the floor. Revan wasn't sure if he was dead, but he couldn't afford to go and see. With only two to deal with now, his attacks became more precise and deadly.

Bastila parried the blows from the two dark Jedi. The one attacker slashed at her, but she dodged it and hit the ground. In a unique maneuver, Bastila pinned the opponent's lightsaber down with one end of her staff, and used it as a balance as she brought her feet up in the air, landing a hard kick on the chin of the other assassin. She came back to her feet, and now the other end of her saber to slash the chest of the assassin in front of her. The dark Jedi dropped to the floor just in time for the third to come lunging at Bastila with fury. This one, ironically, was the female Sith Bastila had mocked earlier. The assassin came at her with full fury, striking with every opportunity she had. Bastila realized that she had to end this duel quickly, or else risk jeopardizing the mission.

Revan's attacks were a mix of offense and defense as he fought the two assassins. For what seemed like ages, the three of them fought. Finally he saw an opening, and in a blind flash struck one of the assassins with his blue lightsaber right across the chest. The assassin fell to the ground, and it was now just one-on-one.

Bastila noticed out of the corner of her eye the other assassin whom she had kicked in the chin rising off the ground. Bastila raised her lightsaber to block another blow, used it to push her opponent off-balance, and then force-pushed her into a nearby console. She ducked low as the other attacker slashed at her head. With the opening, Bastila brought her saber up and cut off the lightsaber arm of her opponent. Bastila didn't like cutting off limbs, but did so when necessary. With a final kick to the head, the assassin crashed to the floor, dead.

Revan now was able to come at his opponent full-force. Now, he was purely offensive. Realizing his advantage, Revan blocked the opponent's lightsaber with one of his own and used the other to slash across his midsection. Finally, the assassin fell down to the ground. He turned and saw Bastila dueling with what looked like the last assassin standing.

Bastila was now down to the last opponent. Her blows were quick, precise, and graceful as the two females clashed. The assassin came at her as fiercely as ever, but Bastila kept her footing. Now the assassin was in a blind rage, and her attacks became mad, imprecise strikes. The attacker lunged at Bastila, attempting to stab her through the chest. Bastila dodged it easily and slashed the Sith's arm with her own lightsaber. The assassin roared in pain. She attempted to bring her lightsaber up again to attack Bastila, but the Jedi twirled her lightsaber and landed a blow on her opponent's chest. The last of the assassins fell to the floor.

When she was done, Bastila deactivated her lightsaber and turned to Revan, who was standing there with a look of amusement in his eyes. "How long were you standing there?" she asked him angrily, placing her hands on her hips.

"Only a few seconds. I figured I'd let you handle the last one by yourself, that's all. I must say your technique's improved. You could use that the next time we go dancing."

"Well, thank you very much," Bastila replied dryly. Noticing her hair came loose in several places, she attempted to fix it as Revan went up to a console. Finally finding the right one, he pressed a few buttons and the door slid open. The group of Jedi instantly poured in and were all dumbstruck when they noticed the bodies of the assassins lying on the ground.

"It's okay," Bastila told them before they could ask questions. "They attempted to ambush us, but luckily they were not successful."

"Bastila, look at this," Revan called to her. Within a second, she was by his side. Revan pointed at the screen. "This room is feeding power to the hangar, but it's also feeding power to the archives."

"Quick! See if you can bring the cameras online!" she suggested.

Revan tapped a few buttons and an image flickered on the screen. As they suspected, a group of four assassins were in the archives. They were busy fiddling with a console. Revan didn't know what they were doing, but he sure didn't like it.

"Quick! We must get over there. They might be stealing information!" Bastila cried.

"Alright, let's go," Revan said. Before going, he accessed the power control and finally cut off power to the hangar doors. "That should take care of our problem. Let's go, everyone!" They all sped off toward the academy's archives. On the way, Revan spoke into his communicator.

"Quaid, we've just deactivated the doors. Contact Yuthura and tell her to get to the hangar. You must try to get inside,"

"Alright, Revan!" the exile responded.

Revan, Bastila, and the rest of their squad moved swiftly through the dark interior toward the academy's archives.

"I thought you said they had cleared the academy before they left, Bastila."

"They did, but they couldn't get everything. I fear they may not have cleared the information from the archives. There it is!" She pointed at a doorway near the middle of the hall. As they neared it, they heard Sith voices coming from inside. They looked inside and saw the four assassins grouped around a console. Noticing the Jedi, they spun around to face them.

"You're too late!" a masked Sith shouted. "And who should the Jedi send but their precious prodigal knights?" he asked mockingly. "We have found what we're looking for and have already sent it to our ships! Too bad your little attempt has failed," the assassin cackled.

"Not yet, it hasn't! Tell us what you stole," Revan growled.

"Die, Jedi!" the assassin screamed. All four of them drew their lightsabers and lunged at the group of Jedi. Already outnumbered and out-skilled, it didn't take long for the group to finish off the four assassins. After the skirmish, the group wasted no time in heading out of the academy's sub-level.

* * *

In moments, the group arrived back at the upper level and at the hangar's entrance. Inside the hangar, as Revan had predicted, were two Sith ships. The ships' lasers were firing volleys at Quaid's and Yuthura's bands of Jedi. Bands of assassins fired red blasts at them as well. The Jedi were blocking the blasts with relative ease, but for some reason were not moving closer.

"Revan!" the exile shouted. "The Sith placed mines around their ships! We can't get any closer!" Revan looked and saw the body of an unfortunate Jedi lying on the floor. Undoubtedly, he was the one to fall to the mines.

Revan watched in desperation as the Sith boarded their ships. "No!" Bastila shouted. "We can't let them get away!" But it was too late. The last of the assassins boarded the ships and they hastily took off as they fired at the Jedi. Wasting no time, Revan took out his communicator.

"I'm going to call Atton and tell him to get the Ebon Hawk ready for take off." He spoke into the communicator. "Atton, this is Revan. Do you read me?" No answer. "Atton, this is Revan. Are you there? ATTON? Damn it!" The communicator was silent.

"What's going on?" Bastila asked with worry.

"I don't know, but we can't waste any time. Quaid! Get over to Khoonda with your group and see what's going on with the Ebon Hawk. Bastila and I are going down to the academy's archives to see what they stole. If we're lucky, we might be able to track where there ships are going!"

"No need," said Yuthura holding up a device, smirking. "I've tracked their signal. They're heading for another part of Dantooine. I'm not sure exactly where, though."

"Thanks a lot, Yuthura. Bastila and I are going to the archives. Quaid, you better get to the Ebon Hawk."

The exile nodded firmly and he and his group sped off. With a quick motion of his head, Revan signaled for Bastila and the others to follow him. "Let's go. We have to catch up to them before its too late!"

* * *

Sorry for the cliffhanger, but this chapter was getting a little too long. Hopefully, I'll be able to get the next chapter posted soon so you're all not left hanging in the dark for a long time! As always, let me know what you think. 


	13. Chapter 12: The Chase

And now for Chapter 12! Yay! At the beginning is a long-anticipated scene (for some people) as well as a VERY important scene in the end. As for Atton, don't worry if his part now seems trivial, he'll be more important later on. ;) Mission will be, too.

Also, I have a very important announcement at the end of this chapter.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

**Chapter 12: The Chase **

Quaid, Jolee, and the rest of their group hurried toward the Khoonda settlement. Quaid had to get to the Ebon Hawk and find out what was wrong.

"Force, I'm getting too old for this," Jolee moaned as he ran.

Quaid turned to him and grinned. "Are you serious? You're never too old to fight the Sith. How could you ever tire of this?"

"Save the jokes, kid. I'm old and cranky, and you ought to know that by now."

Quaid chuckled. As the settlement came in sight, an idea occurred to Quaid. "Jolee, could you do me a favor."

"Why not?" he replied sarcastically.

"I need you to take the rest of the Jedi and go over to the government facilities and inform them of the situation."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine, Jolee," Quaid assured him. "If there's one thing I learned in my exile, it's how to be self-sufficient."

Jolee rolled his eyes. "Kids these days."

Upon reaching the settlement, Quaid split off with the rest of the group and sped off toward the docking port. As he rounded the corner the Ebon Hawk came into view, and suddenly Quaid felt a disturbance. Something definitely was not right. The entry ramp was down, as it had been left, but HK-47 was not in sight.

"Great," Quaid muttered to himself. He slowly crept up the Ebon Hawk's ramp and into the inner hull of the ship. No one was in sight, and the interior seemed eerily quiet.

"Atton?" he called out. No answer. "Mission?" Silence. He decided for one last attempt. "T3? HK?" When no answer came, he knew something serious was wrong. He was hoping they had just left the Ebon Hawk temporarily, but he felt that wasn't the case. He walked further inward in the Ebon Hawk's garage when he noticed HK-47. On the floor.

"Force! HK!" The droid didn't budge. He seemed to be in some kind of stasis. "Uh oh," Quaid said aloud. Concentrating, he reached out through the force and sensed something foreign on board. Cautiously, he turned left and proceeded toward the Ebon Hawk's starboard dormitory. He crept up to the doorway and looked inside. The sight caught him totally off guard.

Squatting in the center of the room was a small, crimson-robed female. A peculiar veil hung over her head, covering both her eyes. Quaid felt darkness within her, but that's not what he sensed first. The first thing he felt from her was _pain_. She was carrying an immense amount of pain…just as he was. But he could not afford to ponder their similarities.

"What have you done with the crew?" he asked her flatly. She said nothing. She merely stood up and ignited a crimson lightsaber. She moved in to attack him, but Quaid raised his own green lightsaber just in time to block it. The two stood there with lightsabers locked.

For a second, he was able to notice her face. She had rather young features, and Quaid found her rather attractive despite being able to see only the bottom half of her face. "Who are you?" he asked as their lightsabers grinded against each other. Once again, she was silent and withdrew her lightsaber to attack again. The two exchanged furious blows.

The loud cracks and hisses of green against crimson filled the atmosphere as they fought. She was very fast and precise, and her speed almost caught the better of Quaid more than once. Quaid saw an opening in her defense, and, before he even realized it, thrust his lightsaber at her. The green blade slashed and cut open her side. She cried out in pain and fell to the floor. Her lightsaber clanged against the floor and deactivated. When it was done, she stood there kneeling on all fours in front of the exile, who was dumbstruck.

"Please…" she whispered. It was the first time he heard her voice. There was much pain behind her small voice. "You have defeated me. It is as I foresaw. Please, finish me off quickly."

Quaid stared down at her and shook his head. "I'm not going to kill you."

She only frowned. "I yield. It was never my wish to fight you. I…I submit. Please kill me."

Quaid felt suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pity and compassion for her. He didn't know why, but the sight of her like that saddened him greatly. "Look, you're hurt," he stammered. He knelt down and tried to help her up. "Here. I'll get you to the medbay." Without warning, she collapsed.

Quaid panicked for a moment, fearing the worst. He was relieved to find out she was still alive. Mustering his strength, he lifted her off the ground and carried her to the medbay. There he gently laid her down on the bed inside the small room. Taking a medpack, he rubbed some kolto on her fresh wound. This was one of the times he was grateful that lightsabers cauterized wounds instantly.

He stood up and quickly ran off to find the crew. He went back to HK-47 and deactivated the stasis he was in.

"Angry statement: Some meatbag has tampered with my systems! How dare they insult me by placing me in stasis! Why, the audacity of it!" Finally, HK noticed the exile. "Query: I don't suppose it was you, was it? But oh no, you were the one who reactivated me. I am sure it wasn't you. Perhaps it was that Atton meatbag! Why, the insult to think that he could deactivate me like that!"

"Your welcome, HK. And no, it wasn't Atton," the exile answered him.

"Surprised query: Really? Do you know who it was? If so, I would really like to know who so I could terminate his or her existence."

Fearing for the woman's life, and not wanting to have to deactivate HK, Quaid lied. "No, whoever it was isn't here. Are the others on the ship, too?"

"Answer: I do not know, master. I blanked out before I saw what was happening."

"Well, I'm going to search the ship. You stand guard outside. I'll look for the others."

"Resignation: As you wish, meatbag."

"She must be another assassin," Quaid realized as he ran to the cargo hold. "That's how she snuck in without being seen." He reached the cargo hold, and as he predicted, Mission, Atton, and T3 were all there in stasis. Kneeling in front of Atton, he waved his hand and brought her out of stasis. Her eyes instantly widened to the size of plates.

"Quaid! Oh man, am I happy to see you. What the heck happened? Did you see her? Who was that girl who broke in here?"

Quaid hushed her. "An assassin snuck on board. She put you all in stasis after she broke in." He went over to Atton and brought him out of stasis.

"Well, you're a sight for sore eyes, Quaid," Atton said dryly. So, who's the schutta who mugged us? I'm surprised HK didn't see her come in."

"It was a Sith assassin, Atton. They're experts at stealth." Quaid released T3 from the droid stasis.

"Wroop! Wroop! De-deet did-deet!" the little droid buzzed.

"No, you're fine, T3. I don't think she damaged anything."

"So, uh," Mission stuttered. "Did you happen to find the person?" Quaid nodded.

"I did. She's in the medbay right now."

"Medbay?" Mission asked, wide-eyed. "She's still here?"

"Yes. We fought and I injured her. She passed out and she's in the medbay right now."

"Geez." Mission slumped against the wall.

"Hey, don't worry, Mission. She's comatose right now, and injured, to boot. Besides, even if she wakes up, I've got her lightsaber." He held it up for her to see. He paused and then continued, "It's weird, too. She's blind, I think. Atton, come with me." Atton complied, but Mission followed out of sheer curiosity.

"There," Quaid said, pointing at Visas's delicate, crimson form. Atton and Mission both eyed her with intense curiosity.

"Wow…" Atton muttered. "I don't believe it?"

"What?" Quaid asked.

"She's a Miraluka. I haven't seen one of them in this part of the galaxy ever."

"The Miraluka?" Mission asked. Quaid's mind instantly recalled the stories he had heard about a race of force-sensitives who saw everything through the force. He also heard about a recent tragedy befalling them recently.

Atton nodded his head in response. "Yeah. They're some sort of race that are blind but 'see' things through the force. There was an entire colony of them on Katarr, but it was wiped out a long time ago."

"What happened to them?" Quaid asked.

Atton shrugged. "I don't know. One minute they're there, next minute they're all dead. And then this one pops up out of thin air. She's the first Miraluka I've seen in this sector."

"Well, I'm keeping her here for the time."

"You can't be serious!" Mission protested.

"I have to. I don't think she's a danger, Mission. Call me crazy, but I just feel it. Even if she's hostile, we could use her for information. We have to keep her here."

"But, Quaid, I-" Mission began, but she stopped.

Quaid placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, just trust me, alright? I'm sure Revan or Bastila would do the same thing if they were here. Just play along for now, kiddo. That's all I'm asking."

Mission blushed. "A-alright." Quaid smiled on the inside. Despite her protests, he knew from experience that Mission was one to find good in everybody. It was something he wound up admiring about her.

Surprisingly, Atton seemed rather comfortable with the situation. At least, if he was disturbed, it didn't show. "What are you going to do now?" the scoundrel asked.

"We have to stay put and wait for the others to return."

"May I ask why?" he asked.

"I'll fill you in on the details in a second, I promise. Right now, we don't have time to lose." Quaid spoke into his communicator. "Jolee? Are you there?"

"I'm here, junior. What's up?"

"I just caught myself a nice, juicy, Sith."

"Oh, did you?" Jolee asked, not sounding surprised.

"She's passed out right now. She mugged Atton and Mission, and she tried to sabotage the Ebon Hawk, I think. I need you to get over here right away. But first, tell the others to make sure their ships are secure. We're going to need them."

"Will do, kid."

* * *

Revan and Bastila arrived back at the academy's archives and examined the console the Sith had tampered with. It appeared they had arrived just in time, because apparently the Sith didn't have time to clear the data. 

"That's curious," Revan said as he examined the data. "They were examining tombs. They were looking up the locations of the different tombs on Dantooine."

"I'm not surprised," Bastila remarked. "Sometimes people seek tombs of ancient Sith Lords or Jedi Masters because they believe them to be places of power. Others simply seek rare or valuable artifacts that might be contained within."

"Yup. They've downloaded the location of these two tombs. One appears to be of someone called 'Arturus', the other is one called 'Trusk'. Does either name sound familiar?"

Bastila shook her head.

"Well, I'll bet my lightsabers that they're headed for those tombs. Arturus is south of here, Trusk is somewhere west of here. I'm going to download it into my datapad. You might want to do the same."

Bastila complied, and after a few seconds the information was downloaded into their datapads. After they were done, they hurried back up to the surface to meet with Yuthura Ban. On the way, Revan received a signal from Quaid.

"Revan? Are you there?" his voice asked.

"Yes, Quaid? Did you find out what happened?" He and Bastila listened eagerly.

"Yes. A Sith assassin managed to break in and put everyone under. I found her, though. We ended up having a little chat with our lightsabers."

"Did you kill her?" Revan asked.

"No. She passed out and is in the medbay, right now, recovering from her wounds. I'm going to keep an eye on her until you get back."

"Good. And make sure the Ebon Hawk is prepared for takeoff." He put away the communicator.

Revan and Bastila met up with Yuthura near the hangar. "Yuthura!" he called. "Any more luck with the tracking?"

"I've only managed to track one," she responded as she examined her device. "It's heading north. They've apparently split up, and I don't know where the other has headed."

"Well, we think we know where there headed," Revan told Yuthura. He approached her and showed her the data on his datapad of the tomb. "That's where the other one is headed, I'm sure of it."

Yuthura examined it for a moment and nodded her head. "Well, if that's true, we'll need to split up if we can catch both of them in time."

Revan thought the matter over quickly in his head. The only solution he liked was one he wasn't very comfortable with. "Alright," he said at last. "We'll have to regroup. Bastila, you and Yuthura will go down and investigate Arturus's tomb. Quaid, Jolee, and I will travel to Trusk's tomb." He paused. "I'll take the Ebon Hawk to the tomb. You'll have to go with Yuthura in one of the other ships."

Bastila sighed and nodded. "Very well, Revan."

"We must hurry. Let's get back to the settlement," Yuthura suggested. The others couldn't agree more, and soon they were all headed back to Khoonda.

* * *

Bastila and Revan met outside the Ebon Hawk next to the entry ramp. "Me and another shuttle will follow them west," he told her. "The rest of you will have to go south to Arturus's tomb." 

"Revan!" Quaid called. "Everyone is here! The Ebon Hawk is ready for takeoff!"

"Alright!" Revan called back. He turned back to Bastila.

"Be careful, Revan," she whispered to him.

He smiled. "I will. Just don't you go off getting hurt, okay?"

She nodded. "I'll try." After a quick glance to see if anyone was looking, the two Jedi embraced each other. A quick farewell kiss, and Revan walked up the ramp into the Ebon Hawk.

"Take care, princess," he called.

She waved back at him warmly. "Farwell!" And with that, the ramp folded up into the Ebon Hawk. Without pausing, Bastila took off with force-enhanced speed toward Yuthura's shuttle.

"Alright, guys," Atton said as he flicked a few switches. "Let's get this crate in the air."

"I've downloaded the coordinates of the tomb into the Ebon Hawk's system. That's where we're headed," Revan told him as he strapped himself into the copilot seat.

As he prepared for takeoff, Revan wondered briefly about their 'prisoner'. He still didn't know the Sith's name, but what was even more mysterious was why a Miraluka would suddenly appear at this time in this part of the galaxy. He could only hope they would get the answers once she came back to consciousness.

The Ebon Hawk lurched, shaking him out of his thoughts. Slowly the ship rose into the air and turned as the ground beneath it got smaller and smaller. A blast from the thrusters propelled the ship forward and toward their destination.

* * *

The Ebon Hawk streaked through the stratosphere of Dantooine as it closed the distance between them and the Sith. At last, they reached their destination. "There!" Revan said, pointing. "That must be it!" He saw a hill that jutted up from the rest of the plains, and carved into it was what appeared to be an entranceway of some kind. A little further down he saw the black hull of the Sith ship. 

They were not unnoticed, for red blaster bolts soon came at them from the surface. "Quaid," Revan called on the intercom. "Get into that turret and fire at whatever's shooting at us. Atton, take us down right there!" He pointed at a clearing next to a clump of trees.

Meanwhile, Quaid rushed from his seat and headed for the Hawk's underside turret. Once there, he took the controls and aimed at the ground. Below he could see several small figures that looked like turrets planted around the tombs entrance. He fired several volleys at the turrets as the ships descended. He managed to take three of the five turrets before the Ebon Hawk landed. To his right, he noticed the Jedi's shuttle touching down next to them.

The shuttle in turn fired at the turrets, and eventually the remaining two were destroyed. He released the controls and headed for the main hold. There, Revan and the rest were gathered. "We didn't take any damage, fortunately." Revan told them. "But we'd better get out there quickly. Mission, stay here."

"But Revan," she protested.

"Mission, you have to stay here!" he told her. "Please, just look over our new friend, okay?" he asked her. Without even noticing her look of discontent, he focused on Quaid and Jolee. "Let's go join the others."

Outside, they met up with the Jedi from the other shuttle. Before Revan could say anything, dark Jedi poured out of the academy's entrance, all drawing their lightsabers. Revan immediately ignited his blue lightsaber and his short, violet one. The rest of them imitated him, all igniting their lightsabers.

A hellacious battle ensued, with the cracks and hisses of the lightsabers drowning out all sound. When the battle was done, the Sith lay dead. Revan silently thanked the force that they hadn't suffered any casualties, yet, although a couple had been injured. Revan had the injured taken into the medbay inside the other ship. The rest he summoned to follow him inside the tomb.

Inside the dark hollows of the tomb, Revan felt a strange sensation upon entering. It was a very different feeling than what he felt when he had walked inside the tombs of the ancient Sith Lords on Korriban. He felt power, for sure, but unlike in the Sith tombs, where he felt darkness and a sense of unrest, he felt strangely calm and centered. Before them lay a long hallway sloping downward. He motioned with his hand and the rest followed him. Quaid and Jolee flanking him, with the other five Jedi following close behind. The hallway was lined with dark-brown bricks that had faded over the years. Cobwebs hung everywhere and roots had started to seep through some of the walls.

They proceeded quietly down the hall until it leveled off. There, Revan could see it stretching level for a short distance and then split upward to an entranceway to what appeared to be a room. "Quaid, follow me, he whispered." The exile nodded and followed him. They crept up the hall along the wall until they were below the hall leading up to the entrance. Inside they could hear the voices of what no doubt were more Dark Jedi. Revan could make out two voices, although he was sure more were in there.

"You imbecile! There is nothing here! We have already raided this tomb once, what makes you think we would find something else? I told you we wouldn't find anything!" said an angry male voice.

Another angry male voice responded. "We came here on orders from Sion, worm! If you want to disobey him, then-"

"Sion is a fool! Even Nihilus says so! We have only wasted our time by coming here."

"Then we'll have to hope our other party finds something inside the other tomb."

"Then let us hurry out of here—wait a moment! We are not alone."

Revan cursed under his breath. He could hear lightsabers being activated. Finally, a voice yelled, "Jedi! They have followed us here! Kill them!"

Six Dark Jedi erupted out of the tomb. Two were assassins, but the other four had the look of Sith marauders, a type of Sith skilled in lightsaber combat. Revan reached out with his hand and force-pushed them away, giving the other Jedi time to catch up to him and Quaid. The Dark Jedi got up and engaged Revan's squad. The group fought intensely in the small confinement of the hallway.

One Jedi was unfortunate enough to receive a lightsaber wound through his side. Before his attacker could finish him off, Quaid stepped in and cut the lightsaber arm off the marauder and force-pushed him into the wall. Revan managed to down another marauder while Jolee was preoccupied with one of the assassins. The sheer number of Jedi involved ended up saving their lives.If there were fewer Jedi to assist him, there would most certainly be more casualties.

Once the last Dark Jedi was down, Revan gave orders to the other five Jedi. "Move these bodies out of the tomb," Revan commanded the Padawans. They complied and started dragging them away. Meanwhile, Revan, Quaid, and Jolee decided to examine the tomb of Master Trusk.

The room was mostly bare, save for a few holocrons and a large sarcophagus. A few statues of what appeared to be ancient Jedi line the walls. A couple plasma lamps set by the Dark Jedi illuminated the surroundings.

"It doesn't seem they have taken anything," Quaid observed. He examined a nearby holocron and found it had been tampered with. "I wonder what they were looking in these for?"

"Who knows?" Revan remarked. "But they wouldn't get much. These holocrons are too old and damaged to really get much out of them. Still, we should examine them just in case."

* * *

Meanwhile, Bastila, Yuthura, and the rest of the squad made for Arturus's tomb. After the short journey, they came to the coordinates where the tomb was supposed to be located. Below, Bastila had indeed spotted a black ship parked next to a small cliff overlooking a plain. Suddenly, Bastila felt a strange sensation when seeing the cliff. Something seemed oddly familiar… She pushed it out of her mind and struggled to focus on the mission. 

Like Revan's encounter, the two ships were fired upon from below. As the ships descended and the blaster bolts pelted the shield around the ship, Bastila noticed several Dark Jedi gathered around the entrance. A group of four turrets fired at them from below.

As soon as the ships touched down, the Jedi streamed out of the ships to meet the wave of blaster bolts. Bastila deflected several blasts with her lightsaber and bounced them back onto the turrets, managing to destroy two of them. Yuthura Ban raised her hand and a wave of energy bolts streaked at the turrets, disabling the other two. With them out of the way, they could now focus on the Sith rushing madly at them with lightsabers activated.

Bastila focused with all her might on everyone around her. She focused on the Sith and slowly sucked away their will to fight. She focused on the Jedi around her and bolstered their willpower and their vigor. She was using Battle Meditation, her ability that ended up saving the Republic more than once.

It was working, for the Sith seemed to hesitate as they rushed to meet the Jedi who showed no signs of fear. She tried to remain in meditation as long as she could until a Dark Jedi came over to attack her. Breaking her concentration, she jumped into the air and brought her lightsaber through his chest, dispatching of him quickly.

She rushed in to join the fray, hoping the effects of her Battle Meditation would not go away too quickly. She and Yuthura fought side by side as they cut down the Dark Jedi around them. Yuthura swung her purple lightsaber in rapid, precise motions while Bastila twirled her yellow lightsaber at her enemies. When all was done, the Sith lay dead and a few Jedi were injured. Her Battle Meditation had indeed saved them from casualties.

Finally, with the skirmish over, Bastila had time to examine her surroundings. When she finally took everything in, she felt a wave of nausea sweep her. Before her lay the strangely familiar cliff side. Cut into the rocky wall was the entrance to the tomb. Beside it lay a huge boulder, which had undoubtedly been moved from the entrance by the Sith in their attempts to enter the tomb.

Bastila felt sweat gather on her temple as she realized where she had seen it. It was the same place she had seen in her vision. The vision she and Revan had shared the last time they had been on Dantooine. Apprehension gripped her, and suddenly she felt uneasy. Yuthura, noticing this, asked Bastila if she was alright.

"Oh, I'm fine," Bastila said, pretending. "I just might be coming down with something." She mentally kicked herself. It was a poor excuse, but she couldn't afford to back out now. She had to finish this mission. She had to see what was inside the cave. "We must go inside and see what they were looking for."

"Very well," Yuthura responded, still unsure about Bastila. "Dustil, get those two Jedi and follow us in. The rest of you get the injured to the medbay."

Bastila and the others walked up to the cave's entrance. They stepped inside and into the dark interior of the tunnel. The bricked tunnel led them down a level path until Bastila could see a doorway. That must have been the tomb. She could feel her apprehension rising. But she had to see what was inside. Something was inside the tomb - a presence that was barely there. If it were a sound, it would be almost like a leaf falling in the woods. She wondered if anyone else could feel it.

She and the rest arrived at the doorway. Bastila raised her hand and concentrated as she forced the door open with the force. The Sith had obviously not gotten this far. They had arrived just in time. She stepped inside and beheld the ancient surroundings. Yuthura lit a plasma lamp, and the room illuminated in a soft glow. The tomb wasn't big, but it was still spacious. In the very center of the room was a large sarcophagus, but that wasn't what caught Bastila's attention.

"The Sith had to have been looking for something in here," Yuthura observed. "Maybe a holocron or an ancient weapon."

Bastila didn't pay attention. Her eyes were fixed on a very peculiar thing. Behind the tomb lay a statue, about the size of a man. It stood upright and was made out of what appeared to be gray stone. It was man-like in appearance, but the resemblance stopped there. Bastila struggled to recall an alien species that looked like the statue, but she couldn't find any.

Embedded into the statue in several places were what looked like gray crystals. They stuck out on the shoulders, spine, knees, and other places. They ran up the spine and up the back of the head, curving up and around until they stopped just above the eyes. The hands had four large fingers, and the arms were folded across its chest. Three large toes protruded from the feet. The face of the statue almost resembled a human, but there were differences. The ears were very large and pointed.The nose was merely two slits, almost like a serpent. The mouth was merely a flat line hewn into the stone. The eyes were very large and were made out of two of the gray crystals.

Bastila felt nausea sweeping over her again. Suddenly, she felt weak. _The eyes_. She had seen them before… Could it have been? Was it the ones she saw in the vision? "It can't be," Bastila whispered to herself. The others were too intent on searching the tomb to notice her. Bastila stared intently at the statue. Something was not right with it. Something was very wrong. She slowly approached the statue and extended her hand. She had to touch it. She didn't know what was happening. It's like the statue was _calling_ her. There was something hypnotic about it.

Yuthura casually glanced back and saw what Bastila was doing. She looked like she was hypnotized. "Bastila, what are you doing?" she asked her nervously. Bastila didn't answer her. Bastila was so close now. Her fingers were merely inches from it. "Bastila, what are you-"

Yuthura's speech was cut short as the room lit up like a star. White lightning bolts erupted from the spot where Bastila's fingers met the statue. The only other sound was Bastila's screams echoing through the chamber. "BASTILA!" Yuthura screamed. Suddenly, the lightning stopped, Bastila's screams ceased, and the room returned to normal. Bastila seemed to stagger for a moment then collapsed to the ground, limp. But what horrified Yuthura the most was what she saw next.

* * *

Back at Master Trusk's tomb,near the entrance, Revan collapsed on his knees. Suddenly he felt weak a pain erupted in his chest. He placed a hand over his heart and sucked in a deep breath. Something was terribly wrong. He felt a disturbance, but it wasn't in the force. He felt it through the bond. 

"Bastila," he whispered. The realization hit him like a freighter.Something had happened to Bastila.

"Revan! Revan, what's wrong," Quaid asked when he saw Revan collapse.

Revan stood up swiftly, and without a word, he dashed to the Ebon Hawk.

* * *

Oh no! A cliffhanger! Sorry, I guess I've gotten a little fond of those. Was the last scene shocking enough? Wait until you see the next chapter! I'll try to get it posted within the week. 

This is concerning a question from a new review:no, there aren't two Ebon Hawks. :) Revan takes the Ebon Hawk to Master Trusk's tomb, Bastila travels in one of the ships the other Jedi used to get to Dantooine. The Ebon Hawk and a Jedi shuttle went to Trusk's tomb, and the two other Jedi shuttles went to Arturus's tomb. Hope that clears that up.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Since this is based on KOTOR, I have moved this and all my Star Wars fics to the 'games' section of the Star Wars category. This is especially important for anonymous viewers. If you cannot find this story in the 'movies' category when trying to find it, it is in the 'games' section. :)


	14. Chapter 13: Past Revealed

Okay, a combination of work and laziness prevented me from getting this chapter out as soon as I wanted. Please don't hurt me. I'm sure you're wondering what happened to Bastila in the previous chapter, and what that 'statue' was. Well, read and find out.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.

* * *

**Chapter 13: Past Revealed**

Revan didn't even think about what he was doing. All he knew was that he had to get to Bastila. Before he knew it, he was inside the Ebon Hawk. Mission, who had been in the medbay, heard Revan running inside and rushed out to meet him.

"Revan!" she called. When he faced her, his look of fright caught her off guard. "Revan, what's wrong?" she asked nervously.

"No time," he answered distantly. "Tell Atton to get this ship ready for takeoff."

Too worried to object, she dashed to the cockpit to relay the message to Atton. Just as she left, Revan heard footsteps clanging up the Ebon Hawk's entry ramp.

"Revan!" Quaid's voice called. "What's going on? What's wrong?"

"It's Bastila. Something's happened to her." Revan made his way to the cockpit, but paused.

"Quaid, get a hold of Jolee on the communicator and tell him we have to make an impromptu departure. If you can, please ask him to secure this sight before he and the rest of the team leaves."

Quaid nodded. Before Revan turned, he remembered one last thing. "Oh, and make sure the Sith is secured into her bed in the medbay. I doubt she'd appreciate being thrown around while this thing lifts off."

With that said, he rushed to the cockpit. On the way, he practically collided with Mission in the narrow corridor.

"Mission, you might want to go and strap in," he said without even looking at her. "It won't be long before this thing takes off."

In the cockpit, Atton had already brought Ebon Hawk's engines online and raised the entry ramp.

"Atton, I think I'll fly the Ebon Hawk over this time." Revan said.

"Are you in a hurry?" Atton asked.

"Yes," Revan responded hastily.

"You want to get over there fast?" Atton asked again.

"YES!" Revan said angrily.

"Then let me fly us over there," Atton said as he flipped a switch.

"Atton, I-"

"Please, just trust me!" Atton said, finally looking back at Revan. "Don't worry, I'll get you there fast."

Too much in a hurry to argue, Revan resigned and sat in the co-pilot seat. A few minutes later, the engines of the Ebon Hawk rumbled to life. "Everyone buckle up, cause this crate's gonna fly in a few seconds." The rumbling grew louder as the engines picked up speed. Soon, the ship lifted into the air and blasted off toward Arturus's tomb.

* * *

The site of the tomb came into view. Below, Revan could see the Jedi shuttles on the ground, as well as the black Sith ship that had come here. The Ebon Hawk slowed and descended as Atton brought the ship down to land. Atton brought the ship smoothly down to a bare patch of land near the other ships. 

Almost as soon as the Ebon Hawk touched down, Revan unbuckled and dashed out of the Ebon Hawk, with the rest following close behind. What lay before Revan was a grim scene that was also disturbingly quiet. He saw Jedi that had been a part of Bastila's squad standing outside of the entrance to the tomb and one of the shuttles.

Revan focused through his bond once more. Bastila was alive, yes, but her end of the bond felt faint…weak. This frightened him. He rushed over to the two Jedi that were standing outside the Tomb's entrance. One of them had already took noticed of them and ran up to meet him.

"Where's Bastila?" Revan asked him.

"She's inside that ship's medbay." He pointed to the shuttle with the Jedi standing near the entry ramp. "We were expecting you'd arrive here."

"What happened here?" Revan asked him.

The Jedi paused for a moment and seemed nervous. He mumbled for a moment before he said, "Something…came out of the tomb."

"What was it? Sith?" Revan asked anxiously.

The Jedi seemed to be at a loss for words. "We don't know."

"But what was it?"

He paused again. "You may want to ask Bastila."

Just then, Revan noticed the land around him. Above all, he noticed the cliffside. Next to the entrance, he saw a large boulder that had no doubt been rolled away from it. Revan suddenly felt dizzy as he remembered the vision he and Bastila had shared their last time on Dantooine. The horrible realization came to him that this was the same one he had seen in his vision. The cliffside with the large boulder rolled against it. They had both seen it.

"Are you alright, Revan?" Quaid asked from behind. Mission was as worried as ever.

Revan nodded weakly. "Where is Yuthura?" he asked the Jedi in front of him.

The Jedi shook his head sadly. "She's fainted. We took her to the medbay with the other two that accompanied Bastila and her into the tomb. They've received some serious burns."

"Burns?" Revan asked in shock. "What in the force happened here?"

"I don't know," he answered flatly.

Revan did his best to control his anger. He clenched his fists and turned around after saying a hasty "Thank you" to him. He made his way over to the ship that held Bastila and approached one of the Jedi outside it.

"Where is Bastila?" he asked again.

"She's in the medbay inside. You should go quickly."

Revan wasted no time and proceeded up the entry ramp into the inside of the ship. He walked through its white corridors until he came to the medbay's entrance. A female Jedi stood outside it.

Seeing him, she motioned inside. "Bastila's in there," she said, knowing what he was going to ask. "She is not well. She almost didn't want you to come in. She didn't want you to see her like this."

Her very words chilled Revan. He said nothing, but proceeded inside the medbay. It was larger than the one on the Ebon Hawk. There were six beds on the inside, three on each side. Four of the beds held an occupant. Revan saw two Jedi with what looked like charred marks on their bodies lying down. He saw Yuthura's purple body lying unconscious on one of the beds.

And at the corner, with a medical droid hovering over her, was Bastila. Seeing him, she turned her head in his direction and smiled weakly at him. The very sight of her almost brought Revan to tears.

"Bastila…" he said as he approached and knelt beside her.

"My love," she whispered back.

Bastila's appearance almost made Revan cry. Her skin was pale, and to Revan's sadness, almost as white as the sheets she lay on. She seemed drained of color altogether. Even her blue eyes seemed to have grown dull. He felt her presence in the bond and it felt almost non-existant. It seemed as if something had stolen a part of Bastila's soul. Revan took her hand in both of his, and found they were eerily cold.

"Bastila," he said again and kissed her hand. He brought his face closer to hers and looked her straight in the eyes. "What happened to you?" he asked her. She said nothing. Instead, she closed her eyes and focused.

Revan gasped as the world around him disappeared and was replaced with a dim room. He looked around and realized it was the tomb Bastila had been in. He could see her, Yuthura, and two Jedi entering the room. Yuthura and the other two went further in, but Bastila remained fixed on something else inside the cave. Revan turned and saw a sarcophagus in the very center, but that wasn't what she was staring at. Behind the sarcophagus, standing upright, was what appeared to be a statue made out of gray stone.

It resembled a human at first, but Revan could tell it was not. Its hands, which were folded across its chest, were large and four-fingered; its feet had only three, pointed toes. Embedded in it in several places were gray crystals. A line of them ran up the spine, over the head, and ended right above the eyes. The face also, was not human. Its ears were long and pointed, its nose was merely two slits like a serpent. The mouth was just a line carved into the stone. But the most noticeable feature was the eyes. They were very large and elliptical, and were also made out of the gray crystals.

The sight of the eyes terrified Revan. He had seen them before, but where? Bastila slowly approached the statue with her hand extended. As she neared it, Revan's sense of fear increased. Yuthura noticed her, and asked her a question. Bastila didn't even notice, and kept walking toward the statue. Her fingers were within inches, and before he knew it, they touched.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of white lightning erupted from the spot where Bastila's fingers touched the statue. Bastila was in pain, and she was screaming. The lightning died down and the room went dim. Bastila staggered and fainted. Revan's eyes moved to the statue behind her, and the sight practically gripped him. The crystals embedded in the statue now glowed a bright blue, but that wasn't what caught his attention. The statue _moved!_ Its arms unfolded from its chest, and its head looked around the room.

Revan saw for that its eyes had changed color. They were now a bright blue, and he at last remembered where he had seen them. _The vision_. The one he and Bastila had seen more than once. He felt weak, and was afraid he might vomit. Nevertheless, he kept watching. The statue that now seemed to be alive moved around the room. It's mouth _opened_. Revan could see the other Jedi were dumfounded and utterly terrified at the spectacle.

The living statue bolted for the exit, and in what seemed to be a mad attempt, the other two Jedi rushed to stop it. Noticing this, the statue turned and released a wave of force-lightning at them, knocking them both down. It became increasingly clear to Revan that this thing was no statue. To his right, Revan noticed Yuthura faint and fall to the ground. The creature ran and was seen no more.

The flashback ended, and Revan was once again back in the medical bay. He looked back down at Bastila's weak form and realized that tears had already formed in his eyes. He then realized that this was no ordinary injury Bastila had suffered.

"Bastila, did that thing do this to you?" he asked her.

She nodded weakly. "Revan, I'm sorry."

He couldn't guess what she was sorry about, but all he knew was that Bastila was no longer herself. That thing, whatever it was, had stolen a part of Bastila. That became increasingly clear to Revan, along with another horrible realization. She had lost her connection to the force. And even more than that, she was missing a piece of her own life. Suddenly, Revan remembered her vision on the Ebon Hawk. _"I was helpless…"_ he could remember her saying. And the creatures she had seen. The very same ones. It was a vision all along, not a dream. Revan's grief was then mixed with pure fright.

"You'll be okay, Bastila," he said to her sadly. He didn't even notice that his hands were trembling.

"Revan, I'm…" Revan knew what she was going to say.

"No! Don't say that!" he almost was shouting. He didn't want to hear those words. He couldn't hear them. But he knew it was so. She was dying.

"No, Bastila. Please don't go," he said.

She merely smiled weakly. "Revan, you must do this…without me."

"No, Bastila! I can't do this without you! I, I…"

She placed a hand on his. "You must be strong."

"I can't, Bastila! I can't lose you again! I'm not…I'm not strong enough," for the first time he broke eye contact and lowered his gaze in grief.

To his surprised, she gently raised his head to meet her eyes again. "You can do this. Please, be strong for me."

Revan wasn't even aware that Quaid, Mission, and Atton were standing behind him, observing the sad spectacle. Quaid's expression was one of grief, and Mission had already burst out crying. Atton seemed to display a kind of uneasiness and, strangely enough, fear. The sight of her brought up memories Atton wanted to forget. Everyone else was too focused on Bastila and Revan to notice his discomfort.

Revan suddenly felt helpless and alone. At that moment, everything else didn't seem to matter. All that mattered was that the one he loved more than anything was dying. Nothing else mattered. Not the Sith, the Republic, or the entire galaxy. He knew that if he lost her, it'd leave a wound inside of him that would never heal.

"Revan…" she whispered again, sensing his anguish. "Do not lose hope. Trust in the force. Trust in yourself. Trust in your friends. You're never alone, Revan. You have your friends, and you have me, even when we're not together. Our bond still remains. Please, Revan, do not throw away everything for me. Do this for me."

Revan was helpless to hold back his tears. He nodded weakly. "I will." He held her hand even tighter, and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. After that, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. For as long as he could, he simply held her there, as if letting her go would finish her off. Finally, he spoke: "Is there nothing that can be done?" Revan asked the medical droid without releasing Bastila.

"I'm afraid I cannot diagnose her injuries," the droid responded sadly. "She seems to be fading. I cannot assess her problem, though I have tried over and over. It's almost as if she has lost a piece of herself."

_Lost a piece of herself_. Those words rang in Revan like a bell. His mind flashed once again to that blue-eyed creature that had mysteriously sprang to life in the tomb. It had taken part of Bastila. Just then, a small glimmer of hope shone through Revan's cloud of grief. Maybe there was something he could do. That living statue – that creature – or whatever it was – he had to find it. It would give back to Bastila whatever it stole, or it would pay dearly.

"Bastila," Revan whispered to her. "I have to go. I have to leave you for a while, but I'll come back! I promise you, Bastila, I will save you! You won't die!"

He gently released her and stood up but still held on to her hand. "Bastila," he heard Mission sobbing from behind. Revan almost jumped. He was so stricken with grief he hadn't even noticed his friends behind him. The little blue Twi'lek came from behind and hugged Bastila on her bed. Her tears rolled down her face and fell onto Bastila's robes.

Bastila placed a comforting hand on Mission's forehead. "You be strong, too, Mission." She turned to Quaid and Atton who were standing behind Mission. "Please, help Revan. All three of you. Do not abandon him."

Quaid, Atton and Mission nodded. Revan stepped forward and gently pulled Missoin away from Bastila, and then brought her into a comforting hug. As he held Mission, Revan was eternally grateful that he had them by his side. Bastila was right – he wasn't alone in this. Not yet.

"We will have her taken over to the hospital in the Khoonda settlement. This medical bay is not adequate to properly maintain her vitality for very long," the droid informed Revan.

Revan nodded grimly. Letting go of Mission, he turned back to Bastila. "Bastila, I will come back to you. I will save you. I promise." He placed a final kiss on her lips. When he pulled back, he found that she had tears forming in her eyes as well.

Revan wanted more than anything to stay with her. But he also knew that the creature that had hurt her was probably the only chance of saving her. He didn't know what it had done, but it had now jeopardized her life. Bastila's life was fading, and she had lost her connection to the force. He also knew that by looking for it he risked having the same done to him, but it was a chance he was willing to take. And the sooner he looked for it, the better.

"Farewell, Revan," Bastila whispered.

"So long, Bastila," he whispered back. Mustering himself, he turned to the others.

"Quaid, Atton, Mission," Revan addressed, "I'll need your help."

* * *

The four of them exited the shuttle and stepped once more into Dantooine's sunlight. Looking around, Revan noticed the sun was now on a downward path toward the horizon. Revan was at least grateful it was summer in this region of Dantooine, and that would afford them more daylight. 

"Revan, how are we going to search for this thing if we don't even know where it went?" Quaid asked him.

Revan sighed. "All I know from the other Jedi is that it headed that way." He pointed toward a stretch of rolling hills speckled with trees. "That way is our best bet."

"But how do you exactly plan on finding an individual being on an entire planet?" Quaid asked him. "We need a plan."

"Man, we could use a bounty hunter about now," Atton sighed.

Just then, an idea occurred to Revan, an idea that was a long shot, but gave him hope. "That being seemed to suck away Bastila's energy," Revan said. He focused with all his might and reached out through the force. He searched and searched for a hint of Bastila's presence. As he suspected, he found it in two places. One was on the shuttle, the other seemed far away in the direction the creature had traveled.

"This way," Revan pointed, smiling. He stopped. "But first, we'll need some assistance. Speed is essential."

* * *

Five speeders zipped across Dantooine's surface. The Jedi had fortunately brought speeders with them on their shuttles, and Revan promptly borrowed them for his pursuit. He also enlisted two of the able Jedi to assist him in the search. One the way, he explained out loud to them in detail everything he had seen in the vision Bastila had shown him. This account earned a couple gasps and surprised looks from the rest. Quaid, Atton, and the two other Jedi each rode in a landspeeder of their own. Not having an extra one available, Revan allowed Mission to sit behind him on the way. As he rode, the Twi'lek sat behind him with her arms wrapped tightly around his torso. 

"Revan, what exactly are we looking for?" she asked as the wind blew in her face.

"That thing, whatever it was, sucked away some of Basila's essence. Because of that, it's carrying a part of her with it! I can sense Bastila's presence in this direction, even though she's back at the ship. It's because that thing is carrying her presence as well! Are you getting that?"

"I guess so," Mission replied.

Revan searched for Bastila's stolen presence in the force, sensing it growing nearer with each passing minute. He was surprised that the strange being had managed to travel this far already. Finally, they came to a river that divided the land in front of them. Behind it was a dense forest of trees (a rare occurrence on Dantooine) that jutted up from sharply-rising hills. Revan and the other four landspeeders slowed to a stop just short of the river. He sensed the presence was close.

Revan's eyes scanned the river and spotted an old bridge erected over it. He motioned with his hand and signaled for the rest to follow him. They all carefully drove their speeders over the bridge and deeper into the trees. Here, the hills were especially steep and seemed to enclose them on both sides. Revan suddenly felt the presence spike, and he practically jump out of his seat. He was very close now. In the distance, just through the trees, he spotted a hill with a rocky cliff jutting out of it.

The group slowly approached the hill. As they got closer, Revan noticed an opening at the base of the cliff, and the presence grew even stronger.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Mission whispered from behind.

"Well, be sure to let us know if it gets worse." Revan wasn't even sure if he was joking or not.

The five landspeeders slowed and halted right alongside the cliff. Revan and Mission dismounted. Revan still wasn't sure why he brought Mission along. Perhaps he had done it because of Bastila's request. But he wasn't sure he liked the idea of bringing her into a potentially dangerous situation.

Something told him, however, that he didn't have to fear for her. After examining the cliff, he figured the opening must have been an entrance that lead underground to a cave or some animal's burrow. That must have been its hiding place.

"In there." Revan pointed to the cave entrance. "Quaid, follow me." Just as the exile stepped forward, Mission shot Revan a puppy-dog look.

"Okay, you can come too, Mission. But stay behind me and Quaid, just in case," he added.

Mission gave a silent "Yes!" of satisfaction.

The two Jedi and the blue Twi'lek climbed into the cave's entrance and into the dark, cramped walls.

"Look!" Mission pointed. In the dirt they could catch glimpses of three-toed tracks.

"There's are objective," Revan said.

"We should be on our guard. This thing might be hostile," Quaid cautioned.

The path in the cave inclined down, steadily growing darker as they walked. Revan motioned for everyone to stop. The tunnel turned sharply to the left, and from around the corner Revan heard a noise. It sounded like something scuffling, but it stopped as soon as it started.

"Be careful," Revan whispered. He drew his lightsaber and ignited it. Quaid did the same, and Mission pulled out a blaster pistol she had been carrying. Revan drew closer to the corner and felt sweat beginning to gather on his forehead. Whatever it was, it was right behind the corner. Revan pressed his back against the wall right next to the corner. He could feel the cold, moist earth even through his robes.

Revan took a breath, tensed himself, and leaped around the corner. In a flash, he beheld a small, cramped cave which must have been some animal's den at one time. Bones and scraps were littered about, but in the very center toward the back was a dark-cloaked figure. The figure spun around revealing a set of large, blue-glowing eyes. Revan was caught off surprise as a force-wave lifted him off his feet and sent him and Quaid against a wall.

"Yikes!" Mission yelped. "It's a monster!"

"MONSTER?" an inhuman voice erupted. "Rraah! Who's the monster here!"

The cloaked creature leapt forward and pressed the frightened Mission against the cave wall. Its huge, blue eyes stared straight into hers.

"I have done nothing wrong!" the creature spat. "Yet you and your kind all wish me dead!"

Mission was paralyzed with fear as its glowing eyes seemed to pierce her flesh. Revan leapt back to his feet and sent a force-wave of his own at the creature, which sent it crashing into the wall hard.

Mission darted away from the spot she had been standing against and ducked behind Revan.

"Force! What the heck is it?" Quaid shouted as he stood up.

To Revan's surprise, the creature didn't stand back up, but merely cowered against the wall. It seemed to be frightened. Revan cautiously approached the creature with his lightsaber drawn. Revan took a small opportunity to notice the cloak it was wearing. Revan didn't know for sure, but he had the distinct impression it had gotten it off one of the Sith Bastila's party had killed.

"What in the force are you?" Revan asked it.

The creature lifted its gaze and looked at Revan. "I am…my father's creation."

"What? What are you talking about?"

The creature paused. It looked at Revan, then at Quaid, then at Mission, who was still cowering behind Revan.

"I am sorry, little one. I didn't mean to frighten you." Mission said nothing in return, but did manage to step out from behind Revan.

"Now, let's try it again. What are you?"

"I told you. I am my father's creation," it responded.

"Your father? Okay, I'll play along. Who was your father, then?"

The creature paused again. Revan couldn't believe it, but its mouth moved as if it were flesh, and the inside was actually hollow, just like a real creature's mouth. "He was one of your kind. He was the one who created me. He did it out of his desire to help, but he was condemned for it."

"Okay, this is getting weird," Mission muttered.

"I do not expect you to understand, but you need to know," the creature continued. "I have done a terrible thing. I have now placed you all in danger."

"Danger? How?" Quaid asked it.

"They have been looking for me!" it said. "The dark ones whom you call 'Sith'." They are looking for me!"

"Why?" Revan asked.

"Because I am the key to my father's machine," it said, its eyes widening.

"Wait a moment, let's restart," Revan said, waving his hands. "What did you do to Bastila? Do you realize what you have done to her?"

The creature made a sound that might have been a gasp. "I know. I couldn't help myself. It is something I never should have done. I used her to awaken myself."

"What did you do!" Revan asked, now growing frustrated.

The creature backed further against the wall. "Please, let me explain," it said. "My father, one known as 'Arturus', created me. He used what you call 'the force' to bring me life!"

Revan and Quaid's minds flashed back to ancient myths they had heard of a member of their order bringing life to things, but they, like everyone else, had thought it was a child's tale – a fable.

"So it's true," Revan gasped.

"Yes," it said sadly. "But it was not to last. My father's work was discovered. The Jedi would not see my existence in their world. They said I was a threat. Only now do I realize why, but I had been unable to see it at first."

"But what happened?" Revan asked impatiently.

"They said I was too dangerous to allow to live. So they cut me off from the force – the thing which had given me life. And then, they buried me along with my father when he died."

"So that's why you were there," Quaid observed.

It nodded. "I was, for all purposes, dead. But I was not really dead."

"Explain."

"My father could give me life, but not a true life. I would have been a shell of a living being. To make me complete, he put a part of himself into me, so that I might have a soul. It was because of that that I had a mind of my own. My father made me complete by putting some of himself into me, and it was for that that they could not kill me completely. For though they cut me off from the force, they did not destroy that part of my father within me, and thus I retained my mind. I was not dead, I was imprisoned."

"Force…" Revan gasped, almost dumfounded with shock.

"I was buried and forgotten. I realized I would not see the light of day for a very long time, so I slept. I slept for ages until I was awakened. I was awakened when I felt a large disturbance in the force. Something like thousands of souls dying in one fell swoop."

"Malak!" Revan remarked. "The bombardment of Dantooine!"

"Yes," the creature nodded. "And I was for the first time in ages, aware. And I knew my time was coming. The years of being a prisoner had driven me mad. I was determined to be free, no matter what the cost. And then, I felt you, rather, I felt the two of you."

"Bastila and I," Revan realized.

"Yes! But you were bonded, so I felt your presence in the force stronger than anything else! I realized when I felt you that you could free me. So I called out to you."

"You sent us those visions?" Revan yelled. "It was you who had been getting into our minds all along? Force!"

"I was desperate! I was so mad with desire, I no longer cared about anything else except my own freedom! And then, you left. But I knew you would return. Eventually, the one you call 'Bastila' found me. When I sensed her, I called out to her. I meant to take some of her connection to the force to give me my life back, but…"

Revan finished for him. "But you took it all."

"Yes!" it said sadly. "I felt her, and I had grown mad with hunger! When she touched me, I took everything away from her! I drank too deeply and left her nothing. And now, she is dead for it." It buried its head in shame. "And when I was free, I was in a blind fury. When your two allies tried to stop me, I defended myself without even thinking. I hurt them, as well."

Revan, Quaid, and Mission didn't know what to make of it. This had been an incredible amount for Revan, Quaid, and Mission to take in at once. Revan still couldn't believe what he was hearing. Even still, Revan knew only one thing: they had to get this 'thing' out of here, preferably back to Bastila.

"Well, it may relieve you to know that she is not dead," Revan told it. The creature perked up at this.

"Really?"

"Yes. She is not dead, but she is fading. I must ask you: is it possible to save her?"

The creature, to Revan's joy, nodded. "I can save her," it said. "But it will require my own life. But that will be for the best. I cannot go on living, as much as I would like to. I am too dangerous."

Without thinking, Revan bent over and grabbed it. "But why are you such a danger? I still don't understand!" He paused, and then thought of something he should have asked in the first place. "How did Arturus create you?"

The creature seemed to grow afraid. It's stone lips seemed quiver. "I…he…" it stammered, but was cut off by Revan.

"On second thought, hold that. We need to get out of here. You can explain on the way. Like it or not, you're coming with us."

The creature nodded weakly and stood up along with Revan. It must have been almost seven feet tall when it stood fully erect.

"I'm sorry," it said again, looking at Mission.

"No problem," she stammered, still staring at it.

"Let's get out of here, guys!" Quaid shouted. With that, the group of four turned to exit the cave.

* * *

Ugh…sorry I didn't get this posted sooner. I'll try to get the next chapter in soon! Key word: try. :) Hope you liked this chapter! As always, read and review. 


	15. Chapter 14: Obstacles

Okay, I'm thinking about re-writing some of chapter 13, just because I'm not really satisfied with the "creature's" intro. But I'm only thinking about it, so there's a chance I'll just leave it alone. But as for the entire story, except for a rather slow beginning, I'm pretty satisfied so far.

On a sadder note, I did happen to find out Miss Krux is no longer an active member. :( Sad really, cause she was a good author. I should really pay attention to these things more often. (sigh)

By the way Tinuviel Andomiel, are you ever going to update "Captivated"? We KOTOR fans are dieing out here!

WeirdoTransvestite: Let's say, it was inspired by it. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

**Chapter 14: Obstacles**

Kreia's brown, hooded form glided through the halls of the Academy on Coruscant. She had been staying at the Academy since she first arrived, and had barely spoken a word to anyone. Ever since their "confrontation", Vrook stayed as far away from Kreia as he could. Some of the Masters there had queried if she would want to be re-inducted into the council. Kreia made it clear, however, that she had no desire to be part of it any more.

Nevertheless, today she sought out a member of the council that had been on her mind some time: Atris. Every day, Kreia could sense peculiar feelings from her. She seemed to be constantly tired. Among her emotions, Kreia could tell she was hiding a glimmer of discontent.

She arrived at the academy's archives and found Atris's white-clad form squatting in the center. The entire room was lined with holocrons, all containing information and lessons from both the Jedi and the Sith over the course of millennia.

"Dwelling in the past again, Atris?" Kreia asked her.

Atris opened her eyes and raised her head. "What do you want?" she asked flatly.

"Is it a crime to wish to talk?" Kreia asked back.

Atris sighed. "I suppose not."

"I was a historian, once, Atris. You know that." The white-robed Master nodded. "These archives contain the very lessons and history of the Jedi order. So much knowledge is held here. It is all so valuable. So much can be learned from this place," Kreia said as she lightly touched the walls.

"Indeed. But to spend ones time with these can be quite tiring. It's almost as if there is too much here to be learned."

"Too much? No, never too much. It is only too much for those afraid to seek it. Knowledge is power. And these archives contain more than the lessons and history of the Jedi…they also contain the Sith's as well."

"We are not to use them for ourselves. They are only so we can study and understand them, and how to defeat them," Atris responded.

"Really? Did you even bother to consider how much power is to be gained from them? How much knowledge can be learned? The Jedi and the Sith both contain weaknesses and strengths. If we are ever to be as strong as we can, we must learn to harness the powers of both."

Atris turned to face Kreia for the first time. "The darkside is something we never use. It goes against our very order, our very code."

"The code?" Kriea asked slyly. "The code does not provide all the answers, Atris. You know this. I learned it myself once I was in your position. To get the true answers, one must search deeper. Even in places we don't want to."

"We cannot use the Sith's own teachings to fight them," Atris said.

"Is that so? You are mistaken. Teachings are only as powerful as the one who knows how to use them. The same is true for Jedi and Sith. But let me ask you, have you even fought the Sith? Have you experienced them first hand?"

Atris paused nervously. "No."

"Ah, yes. And yet, you have them here right at your fingertips. Such is the fate of a historian. I must go now. Think about my words." With that, Kreia disappeared, leaving a confused Atris behind.

* * *

Revan, Quaid, Mission, and the strange creature left the burrow and headed for the cave's exit, much to the creature's protests. 

"I cannot go! In exposing me, you will doom your kind and the entire galaxy!" it shouted.

Before Revan could respond, they heard Atton's voice shouting over the communicator.

"Revan! Guys, what's going on down there? You better get back here, we've got company!" From outside, they could here the echoes of blaster fire.

"Damn it! We've been followed!" Quaid cursed.

"Quick, let's get out of here!" Revan shouted.

"They have come! They have followed you!" the creature hissed. "You have led the dark ones here!"

Without responding, Revan ran up the cave's tunnel. The rest followed behind, and within seconds they emerged into the daylight. Outside the entrance, Atton and the other two Jedi were firing blasters at a squad of approaching dark Jedi. The Sith were approaching on landspeeders and dismounted once they got close to the cave.

"Glad to see you could make it," Atton said as he fired. Mission leapt to his side and fired her own blaster at the Sith. It did little good, for their bolts were deflected easily by the dark Jedi.

"Look! There it is!" said one of them, pointing at the creature.

Revan and Quaid drew their lightsabers. Suddenly, more Sith appeared from behind the trees. They were outnumbered. Revan was struck with the instant realization that he should have brought more help with him.

"Mission, get out of here! Atton, call for backup!" he shouted. He turned to the creature. "Stay here!"

"Don't you understand? They are looking for me!" it shouted back. Revan didn't respond.

Revan, Quaid, and the two Jedi rushed the attackers with lightsabers drawn. The cracks and hisses of the energy blades filled the atmosphere around them. Revan was quickly able to down two dark Jedi; Quaid killed one. Fearing being swarmed, Revan sent a force-wave through the approaching group of dark Jedi to buy them some time.

The four Jedi held their own well against the attackers, until they were forced to retreat back to the cave's entrance. Just then, Quaid spotted something approaching. The sight of him struck fear into the exile's heart. A man, with the appearance of a corpse, was approaching him. His skin was horribly gray and cracked; the flesh over one of his eyes was torn away, revealing a white orb.

Revan and the others looked at him with confusion. The zombie-like Sith stared up at them and laughed in an inhuman voice.

"Darth Sion!" Quaid yelled to him.

"We meet again, exile. And this time, I assure you, you will not make it out alive." He drew a red lightsaber.

"What is that thing?" Mission asked, confused and scared.

"The force is sustaining him," the creature whispered.

"What?" Revan and Quaid asked in unison. But they had no time to respond. The Sith, along with Sion, rushed up to attack them. Quaid and Revan immediately threw their lightsabers at the group, taking out two of the dark Jedi. Once they returned to their hands, Revan, Quaid, and the other two Jedi lunged at them. A hellacious duel ensued. Revan's squad managed to take down a couple more Sith, but one of the Jedi was struck down in the fight. A few minutes into the duel, Sion finally stepped in.

Quaid was the first to engage him. Quaid swung his green lightsaber and met with the crimson blade of Sion. The two clashed, each one seeming to not gain any ground. Finally, Quaid spotted an opening, and slashed Sion's midsection with lightning speed. Sion staggered for a moment, but smiled evilly as the wound reformed and closed up. Quaid lunged at him again.

"What in the force are you?" Quaid asked him as their lightsabers grinded.

Sion merely laughed. Quaid once again caught him off guard and stabbed his lightsaber right through Sion's chest. Sion fell over. Quaid thought he had him, but was horrified to see the wound heal itself. Sion was back on his feet as if nothing had happened.

Sion happened to glance over and noticed the creature was running away. "Get it! Do not let it escape!" he called out. Three Dark Jedi pursued it. The other Jedi Revan had brought with them attempted to stop them, but was struck down by them. Seeing this, Revan cursed.

"You cannot defeat me, Jedi," Sion laughed. Finally, Revan managed to come to Quaid's assistance. He force-pushed Sion hard into a nearby tree. Enraged, Sion leapt up and rushed at the two Jedi. Out of the corner of his eye, Revan noticed Mission had gone as well as the creature. Cursing to himself, Revan swung his saber and landed a blow on Sion's hip. The Sith Lord responded by swinging his own lightsaber at Revan's face, which he dodged just in time.

One of the Dark Jedi brought his lightsaber up and attempted to get Quaid from behind. Before he could reach him, Atton landed a blaster bolt right through his back.

"Thanks," Quaid called out. Atton's satisfaction was short-lived, as one of the dark Jedi sent a wave of force lightning at him, and he fell over.

Sion had enough. He raised his hand and sent Quaid and Revan flying back into a tree. With them down, the rest of the dark Jedi combined their powers and sent Quaid and Revan into a stasis. Both of them feared for their lives at that moment. But miraculously, Sion called out and the rest of the Dark Jedi followed him in pursuit of the creature. Sion and the rest mounted their speeders and darted off. Revan and Quaid could only watch helplessly.

"No, no, no…" Revan thought desperately as they left. They couldn't get it. If they found the creature, they would take it. And Bastila would be as good as dead. He fought with all his might to escape the stasis, but he couldn't break out. Quaid was having equal trouble as well. Atton was prostrate on the ground. Revan sensed he was still alive, but unconscious. Where was Mission? He hoped to the force that they wouldn't find her, either.

* * *

The creature knew the fight was doomed, especially when their leader arrived. With that, he couldn't let the dark ones find him. He would not let them find him and use him for their own purposes. He decided to escape when he had the chance. He could run faster than any human, and that bought him some time. He ran and ran as far as he could. He did not tire. 

But his flight was short-lived. As it ran through the plains like an animal, it soon came to a river that cut the valley in half. It was wide and deep, almost impossible to cross. It grew desperate. It frantically looked around for a means to cross it, but to no avail. With little time, it came to a realization that it might have to jump in. But what good would that do? They would eventually recover him.

Its hopes sank when it sensed the dark ones approaching. It could feel their leader long in advance, sensing his pain and hatred from afar. It turned around to see them approaching on their landspeeders, cornering it. They dismounted and approached him. The creature backed against the riverbank and glared at them like a cornered animal.

"Keep away from me!" it yelled. "Stay away!"

"Lord Nihilus wants you returned to him. Not you or anyone else will stop us," Sion growled.

Sparks of force lightning crackled around the creature's body. Its eyes flicked from a bright blue to red and back to blue again. "I am warning you. Keep away," it hissed.

Two of the Sith ignited their lightsabers and approached it. The creature's eyes flashed red, and it sent out a wave of force-lightning at them. The two fell over, dead. The rest of the Sith started for the creature, but Sion stopped them. The corpse-like Sith Lord approached the creature with his lightsaber drawn. Sparks of lightning still flowed around its body.

When Sion got close enough, it sent out another wave, but Sion parried it. "You think you can defeat me? And with the darkside as well? You are mistaken."

"I wonder, Sith," the creature whispered. "For all your power, you still bow to others. Tell me, are you really as powerful as you seem?"

"I am stronger than any pathetic Jedi can hope to be. And I am stronger than you are," Sion sent out a wave of lightning which the creature didn't have time to block. It fell to the ground, and before it could get up, it felt its body being constricted by an unseen force. The Sith were placing it in a stasis.

"Bind it," Sion commanded. "Make sure it cannot fight back." The dark Jedi approached the helpless creature with bonds in their hands.

"NO!" it shouted. "You cannot do this!"

"Bring it to the ship. We will take it to Nar-Shadaa at once," Sion commanded.

"But my lord, what about Visas and the rest?" one of them asked.

"We cannot wait for them. If they cannot follow us, they are either captured or dead. The Sith have no time for the weak."

The Sith went to work at once binding the creature's hands and feet together with powerful bonds. A force-restraint collar was placed on its neck to prevent it from using the force.

"You wretched Sith!" it screamed. "You are nothing! Nothing but damned souls following damned beliefs! You are doomed! Doomed!"

It continued to scream as it was dragged off by the Sith. From a distance, a frightened Mission had been watching the entire seen play out. When she saw the creature leaving, she followed it in stealth, also using a stimulant to help keep up. She watched fearfully as the Sith carried it off, most likely to a nearby ship. Only one thought came to her mind now.

"I have to tell the others," she whispered to herself. With that, she was off.

* * *

After ages of struggling, Revan finally managed to break free of the stasis. Once free, he brought Quaid out of stasis as well. The two of them surveyed the sad scene. The two Jedi they had brought with them were dead, and Atton had passed out from his injuries. Quaid rushed to his side and turned him over. Atton's body was badly burned in several places. 

Quaid reached out with the force and helped heal some of the burns. He then took out a tube of kolto and applied it to his wounds. Atton groaned silently as he slowly recovered back to consciousness.

"Hey, nice to see you alive," Quaid said as he applied a bandage.

"Oh, man…that force-lightning really does hurt," he groaned. "Thanks, by the way."

"No problem. How do you feel?"

"Hurting, but I'm okay."

Revan desperately looked around. There were no traces of Mission, the "creature", or the Sith. They had gone. Desperation gnawed at him. He had to find that thing and get it back. He couldn't let it fall into the Sith's hands. If they found it, Bastila would surely die, and the galaxy would be put in danger. This wasn't fair. It wasn't right. Bastila – the one he loved more than anything, the woman who he was going to marry – would be lost to him. It wasn't fair. Anger rushed through him. Suddenly he was angry at everyone – Jedi, Sith, and Republic alike. And that Sith Lord – that Sion – what kind of creature was he? He was nothing like Revan had ever seen before.

Without even knowing it, he collapsed to his knees and dug his fingers into the dirt. Seeing this, Quaid rushed over to him.

"Revan, what's wrong?" he asked with concern.

"Why, Quaid? Why did this have to happen?" Revan asked him.

Quaid couldn't think of a response. The question itself caught him completely off guard. Then he remembered Bastila. She was still alive, but was dying. How long could she hold out? The exile kneeled next to Revan.

"Don't give up hope, Revan," Quaid said to him. "We can still win this."

Suddenly, the heard shouting and the pounding of feet approaching. It was Mission.

"Guys! Revan? Quaid? Atton?" she called out, hoping they were still alive.

"Mission!" Revan jumped up and ran to meet her. "Mission, thank the force you're alive!"

"Revan, I-"

"The creature! Where is it? Do you know where it went?" he asked anxiously.

She nodded grimly. "Yes. I followed it when I saw it run off," she said.

Revan was apprehensive. The fact that it was not with her wasn't a good sign.

"Where is it now?"

"Revan, I…" she chocked. "The Sith found it. They captured it, and now they're taking it away."

Revan sank down in despair. Now things really were grim. "No," he moaned.

"Revan, I'm sorry," Quaid said to him.

"If only we knew where they were taking him," Atton sighed.

"We do now," Mission said. The other three snapped in her direction simultaneously. "I overheard that walking corpse speaking. They're taking him to Nar-Shadaa." She grinned.

Without thinking, Revan hugged her tightly. "Thank the force for you, Mission," he said smiling.

"Great. What now?" Atton asked.

"What else? We're going to Nar-Shadaa."

* * *

The four of them picked up the two dead bodies of the fallen Jedi and loaded them onto the landspeeders. With only four of them left, they were forced to abandon a landspeeder. As fast as they could, they zoomed back to Arturus's tomb, where the rest of the Jedi were still stationed. 

And who should greet them first but Yuthura Ban.

"Yuthura! You're awake!" Revan called out.

"Revan! What happened?" she asked instantly.

"Have you talked to Bastila at all?" Revan asked grimly.

"Yes," she responded sadly. "She showed me everything. She told me you were out looking for that 'thing'. I take it you haven't found it yet."

"We found it, but we ran into some problems," he told her. "The Sith found us before we could get back. It's a little hard to describe what happened, but they managed to catch it."

"But whatever for? And where are they taking it?"

"To answer your first question, I don't know, but I have some good guesses. As for the second, they're going to Nar-Shadaa."

Yuthura contemplated the situation. "Okay, but we had better follow them as soon as we can."

"That's the plan," Quaid said back.

"And you guys are in luck," Atton said out of nowhere. "I've been around that planet more than once. Trust me, if you want to find anything there, you'll be needing someone who knows the place."

Just then, Revan realized they had been strangely fortunate. "Great. We'll need all the help we can get. Quaid, Jolee, and I will go-"

"Hey, Rev!" Mission cut in.

"And Mission, too," Revan added.

"Thanks," Mission said, grinning.

"Alright, but I'm coming, too," Yuthura said.

"Yuthura, but you're needed here," Revan protested.

"I am not 'needed' here. Dustil can bring word back to the Jedi of what has happened. There will be others. My mission was to help you, Revan. I am not about to abandon that mission. You have helped me more than you can imagine in the past, Revan. I am merely returning the favor." Her words contained unmoving determination. There was no arguing with her.

"Very well. Welcome aboard, Yuthura." Just then, a thought came to Revan's head.

"Quaid, you'd better get back to the Ebon Hawk and check on our 'prisoner.'"

Quaid suddenly remembered the female Sith Assassin he had fought earlier. He nodded and eagerly dashed to the Ebon Hawk. Revan turned to the rest. "You all had better get ready to leave. I'm going to speak to Bastila," he said.

* * *

Quaid climbed up the entry ramp to the Ebon Hawk. Greeting him was a rather amused Jolee Bindo. 

"When did you get here?" Quaid asked, surprised.

"What, you didn't expect to ditch me at the tomb that easily, did you?" he asked sarcastically. "We just arrived a little while ago. I decided to keep an eye out on the ship and our prisoner. In fact, I think you should talk to her."

"You mean, she's awake!" Quaid asked wide-eyed.

Jolee nodded. "Yup, she's in the port dormitory. And she seemed to want to know where you were. And don't worry; she didn't even try to escape. Something tells me she didn't want to."

"Well, thanks," Quaid added and headed for the dormitory.

There in the port dormitory, he beheld the crimson-robed Sith squatting in the center. She sensed his presence, and stood up to face him. The two stood there in front of each other silently.

After a moment of awkward hesitation, Quaid spoke. "Hello." She was silent.

He spoke again. "Are you okay? Are you alright?"

"I am fully capable of fighting again. I am ready to do whatever you wish," she said to him.

He smiled at her. "That's not what I asked. I asked, are you alright?"

Her mouth hung open for a second in shock. "I have not heard that question for so long… My flesh has healed, if that is what you mean."

"Good. I didn't mean to hurt you."

She seemed quite taken aback and touched at his gesture of kindness. Clearly, it was not something she was accustomed to. "Th-thank you," she said weakly.

"What is your name?"

She paused. "Visas. Visas Marr."

"Visas? That is a nice name. My name is Quaid Darin."

Quaid walked up to her and politely asked if she would like to sit down. She nodded, and the two of them sat down on one of the bunks. "Do you feel like talking?" he asked her.

"Yes. If you have questions, I will answer what I can."

Quaid was rather surprised. Not only did they have a Sith, but a cooperative one. Despite all the misfortunes that had happened, they had at least some luck. He took some time to notice her face. She had young features. He guessed she was probably only a little younger than he was. Despite the fact he could only see the bottom half of her face because of the veil she wore, she seemed rather attractive. He sensed she was someone who wouldn't join the Sith on a whim.

"Why did you try attack me and my crew in the first place?"

"I…my mission was to prevent the Jedi from hindering our efforts. I was to make sure you were not able to stop us in our mission. That is why I resorted to sabotaging your means of escape – your ship."

"I see," Quaid observed. "Why were you here? What were you looking for?" He knew the answer, but asked this as more of a test.

"We came here in search of an artifact. I know very little about it, but according to my master, it was of great importance and power. Our task was to find it and bring it to him. Exactly what it is, though, I do not know."

"And just who is your Master? Who is the one leading the Sith?"

She paused uneasily. "I serve one Master, but there are currently three lords ruling the Sith," she told him. "You have already met one."

"Sion?" Quaid asked uneasily.

"Yes. Darth Sion. He is one. He bathes in pain. He has mastered the technique of maintaining his body purely through will and the force. He is not truly alive, yet he is not dead. The only thing keeping him alive is his anger, hatred, and command of the darkside. But he is only one."

"And the others?"

"There is another. I have never met her, but her name is Darth Traya. While Sion serves as the commander of the Sith in battle, Traya is a manipulator. She is an infiltrator; one whom my master sends into the ranks of the enemy itself. It is she who cripples the enemy from the inside out."

"And is she already within the Republic?" he asked her. Visas nodded.

"Though I do not know where, or what she is doing. As I have said, I have never seen her, and my master does not speak much of her in my presence. But I know she is the second."

"And what of your master? Who is he?" he asked with anticipation.

Visas paused again. Now, she seemed not only uncomfortable, but frightened. Quaid felt her feelings, and he too became apprehensive. After gathering herself, she spoke. "The third Sith Lord rules over the other two. He is the leader of our kind now, the one who leads us against the Jedi. One whom even the likes of Sion and Traya bow to. He is one whom they say no living being can kill."

Quaid felt a sense of fearing creeping into him as she spoke. Her words contained fear as she spoke his name. "His name is Darth Nihilus. He is the Lord of the Sith, and the greatest of the three."

Nihilus. This wasn't good. If the likes of Sion bowed to Nihilus, then Quaid dared not think of the power he must have wielded.

"He is a wound in the force. He was spawned from the horrors of Malachor V, like you, exile. It was he who destroyed my people on Katarr."

"Where is your master now? We must stop him."

"You cannot. My master keeps many things from me. I myself do not know where he dwells except when he calls to me. Even now, I do not know where he is. And even if I could tell you, I would not. I cannot."

"What? Why?"

"Because if you or your friends face him now, unprepared, you will be lost to me. And I cannot allow that to happen. It would be as if someone set fire to a paradise valley, shattered a cavern of rare crystal, or blinded a painter. No. I cannot allow you to come before him. Not yet. But you will meet my master. It is inevitable. And when you do, and realize what you will face you must be prepared! Until then, I must protect you – help you, until you are ready."

Quaid couldn't believe this was the same woman who had tried to kill him earlier. But then again, she had never wanted to do it in the first place. This was all very confusing. "Why are you doing this for me?" he asked her.

"There is a…greatness in you. A greatness that does not stem from the force. It stems from who you are."

From who he was? Quaid sensed there was much more to the story than he knew. But now was not the time to ask her. Needless to say, he would tell Revan as soon as he could all he had been told.

"Exile, may I ask you something now?" she asked meekly.

"Of course."

"Why are you doing this for me? Why did you spare me?"

Quaid paused and looked at her. He could tell that she was looking at him, even though her eyes were covered. There were many reasons, questioning being one, but that wasn't the biggest. "Because I know you can be saved," he told her.

She seemed awed. "Please, I ask you - do not hinder yourself for me. Do not weaken yourself for me."

"Visas," Quaid whispered. "I doubt that will happen."

* * *

"I must go, Bastila," Revan said to her sadly. He kneeled over her bed, holding her pale hand in his. 

"Why?" she asked weakly.

"The Sith discovered us. They found the creature that attacked you. Only it can restore you. We have to go to Nar-Shadaa to get it back. I am so sorry, Bastila. I don't want to leave you. It shouldn't have to be like this…" He felt tears threatening to overwhelm him again.

Bastila smiled gently at him. "Do what you must, Revan. Please, I beg you, do not lose hope. Do not abandon everything for me. If you truly love me, you will move on."

Too choked to answer, Revan nodded. He took Bastila's hand and kissed it, his tears rolling down and falling on her hand. "I will save you, Bastila. I promise you. Just hold on," he said earnestly.

She pulled him down and kissed him weakly on the lips. "I will try. Now, go. The galaxy needs you," she whispered.

* * *

Well, I'm glad to get that chapter out. I apologize if it seems a little rushed. Now that school's started again, I won't have as much time to write my fics as I'd like. :( But I'll try and update as often as I can. So long. 


	16. Chapter 15: Searching

Wow…it's been so long since I've updated. I'm so sorry I didn't get this out sooner. You can kill me later. It's just that I don't have much time at all to write with school, activities, and friends going on. Hope this can satisfy you for a while. :)

Revan666oftheVE: I'm sorry I couldn't e-mail you concerning your request. My e-mail's been somewhat of an ahole these past couple weeks. I just want to say that this isn't the first time I've been asked to join a role-playing sight, and while I'd like to join, I'm not sure if I would be able to be an active participant simply because of time constraints. With school and extracurricular activities this year, I have a lot less free time on my hands. Please e-mail me again if you wish to discuss this further, since I've finally managed to get my e-mail to work.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

**Chapter 15: Searching**

The Ebon Hawk darted through space as it traversed its hyperspace route. A bored Atton sat in the cockpit at the controls. Mission sat in the garage playing a game of dijarik with T3. HK-47 was patrolling the interior, hoping to be able to take a shot at anything that caused trouble. The droid had been keeping an unusually close watch on Visas, as if it was looking for an excuse to blast her. Jolee Bindo was lying down in the port dormitory, sleeping (and snoring). Yuthura Ban was busy in the security compartment, doing who knows what. Visas sat squatted in the starboard dormitory, buried deep in her meditations. Amongst all this, Revan and the exile sat together in the main hold, busy with conversation.

"I don't know, Revan. This seems so much to be able to take in at once," Quaid said as he leaned back in his chair.

"I'm afraid we don't have much time to think about this, Quaid. Right now, the only thing I care about is getting that 'thing' back," Revan huffed.

Quaid could see that response coming. Revan's thoughts had been occupied with his task from the moment they left Dantooine. And why shouldn't he? The fate of the Jedi, the Republic, and the woman he loved more than anything else rested solely on getting that creature back before the Sith Lords could. And what was worse, is that they had to search for it on a planet teaming with life. Finding the Sith would be no easy task.

And amongst all this, Revan and Quaid still had almost no clue as to how that creature came was created. That, and as to why it was such a great threat still eluded Revan. He had many ideas, but couldn't decide which one was the main reason, or if it was just all of them put together.

"I want to know more about these Sith Lords Visas told us about. We've already encountered one," Quaid said. Darth Sion was indeed unlike any other Sith Lord they had encountered. He alone was almost more than Revan and Quaid could handle, and he wasn't even the most powerful one. He had to have a weakness they didn't know about. The one called Traya they still knew almost nothing about. They had no idea who she was, where she was, or what she was doing.

But the most frightening of all was Visas's description of the greatest Sith Lord – Darth Nihilus. Quaid had remembered Visas's chilling words: "_One whom they say no living being can kill..."_ What sort of horror could he be? What powers could he possess? He would have to ask Visas more, but Quaid had decided to leave her alone for now.

"You know, Quaid," Revan began. The exile snapped out of his daydream. "That girl, Visas – do you find it at all odd why she should be so willing to follow us all of a sudden? Why she now fights the very ones she used to serve?"

Quaid paused and thought about it. "Well, I was under the impression she never like the Sith in the first place."

"True, but I think it runs deeper than that. Tell me, do you remember what happened during your first encounter with her? That is, aside from the fact you fought her?"

Quaid could never forget. "I remember…she wanted me to kill her. She wanted to die." Quaid's mouth hung open for a second as if he had just come to a big realization all of a sudden.

"And now, she wants to live," Revan told him. "Why do you think that is?"

Quaid paused again. He had another recollection, this time of Visas's response when Quaid asked why she was helping him.

"_There is a greatness in you. A greatness that does not stem from the force. It stems from who you are."_

"She mentioned me," Quaid told Revan. The former Sith Lord in front of him merely closed his eyes and nodded.

"As I thought. Did it ever occur to you, Quaid, that she is doing this more for you than anything else? That maybe you are the reason she is here with us?" Revan sighed. "Quaid, I think you may have helped this woman more than you know. To put it bluntly, I think she sees something in you. Something that gives her a new will to live. You may have saved her life."

Quaid just stood there, mouth open, not knowing what to say. He had never really bothered to give it much thought until now.

"She trusts you too, Quaid. If I were you, I wouldn't abuse her trust in you."

"Well, don't worry. I won't," the exile replied resolutely. And Quaid hadn't admitted it, nor really understood why, but he cared about her as well. He made up his mind then that he would try to talk to her again. Perhaps he could get her to open up some more.

"Revan," the exile said. Revan turned to him to show he was listening. "I just want to say that I'm really sorry about Bastila. I know you don't like to talk about it, but I just want you to know that I will be with you every step of the way, especially if we have a shot at saving her life."

Revan choked. Quaid had almost expected him to get upset, but to his surprise Revan smiled softly. "Thank you, Quaid. I know I shouldn't be like this. Even though I hate to admit it, the galaxy is what matters more. Bastila said that herself. It doesn't pay to dwell on grief. I don't mean that I'm going to forget about her, but I'll try my best to carry on. Can you and the rest just do me a favor, though?"

"Whatever you want, Revan."

"Just be sure to knock me back into reality if I ever start losing hope."

* * *

The exile nervously crept up to the dormitory in which Visas was meditating. There she was, squatting in the center of the room. Sensing him, she rose and turned to meet him. "Yes?" she asked.

"Is it okay if we talk?" Quaid asked her.

She nodded. "Of course."

"Visas, would you mind if I asked you about your master?"

The blind Jedi's head lowered. She seemed hesitant. Finally, she lifted her gaze and answered "I will answer what I can."

Quaid approached her till they were only feet apart. "How did you and your master become allies? Why did you choose to follow him?

She whispered, "It is not something I like to discuss…"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No, I will tell you. It is not my wish to keep things hidden from you." She sighed. "My master had been the one who destroyed my people on Katarr. He left none alive on that world, save one."

"You," Quaid whispered.

She nodded. "My people are trained to feel things through the force. And when he came, it was like going numb. I was devoid of feeling. I hated it, and I hated my master for doing it. There was nothing left. But that was not the end of my suffering. My master found me. He took me in. I was unwilling, but then he opened my eyes."

"What did he do?"

"He showed me the galaxy. He showed me the life forms scattering about their various planets. I could see them wallowing about in ignorance. I could see millions and millions of beings reveling in misery, so ungrateful to be alive. And the worlds were filled with those who lived lives of ignorance, discontent, and conflict. And for the first time, I hated life. And I wanted to die. But he showed me this to make me believe in his cause: that all life must die. And so, I followed him."

Quaid now understood why she had been carrying so much pain. She was like him in so many ways - an exile bearing scars of the past. He looked up at her and was shocked to see a glistening tear roll out from behind the veil which covered her eyes. He could tell she was struggling to hold back her emotions.

Without even thinking, Quaid reached and gently wiped the tear away from her face. He gently wrapped his arms around her and leaned her head against his chest. And to his surprise, she accepted. When she finally pulled away, she released herself from his grasp and backed away. "I…I'm sorry," she said.

"It's alright," he assured her.

"No, I should be stronger than that."

"Showing emotion doesn't make you weak, Visas." Quaid wanted to ask her more, but he felt now would be a good time to leave her alone. He bid her farewell and left her. Though she hadn't shown it, Visas had been grateful for his company. For so long, she had been used to the misery and isolation of serving her master. The compassion and care the exile had shown her awakened something that she had buried in her heart for so long. Feelings she thought she would never feel again resurfaced. She could only hope they wouldn't place their mission in danger.

* * *

Time passed, and soon the Ebon Hawk was soaring toward the skies of Nar-Shadaa. Nar-Shadaa was a gritty planet, to say the least. The place was overrun by Hutts, gangs, bounty hunters, and various criminals alike, not to mention it was also a haven for the exchange. On top of that, according to Atton, the place was flooded with refugees as well. Many areas of Nar-Shadaa were camps specifically designed for these people.

"So this is where the Sith are hiding?" Revan observed from the cockpit as the Ebon Hawk drew ever-closer to the grey world.

"Well, they'll fit in perfectly if they are hiding here, that's for sure," Atton remarked as he steered the ship. "This isn't a very friendly place. And the planet is just crawling with the Exchange. We'd better be on our guard."

The Ebon Hawk descended into the planet's atmosphere. As it approached, the faint outlines of the cityscape below grew clearer, until the metropolis finally appeared full view to them. Atton sighted a dock, and brought the Ebon Hawk gently down onto the landing pad.

Moments later, the crew of the Ebon Hawk poured out onto the landing pad, taking in their surroundings. Vast, dark skyscrapers jutted up around them. Ships and speeders zipped through the air like insects. The city looked just right for its reputation.

"So this is Nar-Shadaa?" Mission asked as she looked around. "I heard about this place. Sort of reminds me of Taris, in a way, only more dull and grey. Why do you suppose the Sith would be hiding here, anyway? This planet doesn't seem very remote at all."

"This planet is swarming with life and appears to have little law. This would be the perfect place for the Sith to conceal themselves," Visas answered.

"The Sith do not just hide out in a random location, even on a planet such as this. They would most likely be hiding out in an established base around here. And most likely, they're going to have some kind of front to disguise their operations."

"Mm-hmm. The trouble is where are we going to find them?" Quaid asked.

Revan at last spoke. "I really don't know, but I think our best bet is to go out into town and start asking questions. But we can't do it as we are now, and we certainly can't be parading the fact that we're Jedi around here. We need to maintain our cover."

"Yeah, and believe me, you'll want to keep a low profile here. The exchange has its cronies running all over the place. And you won't get far without a guide, so I'm your man," Atton told him.

"We can't all go out at once, especially like this. We're going to have to go out a few at a time. The rest are going to have to stay here." Revan pondered as to who would go out first.

"Well, I don't usually say this, but you might want to avoid being seen with me," Jolee advised. "An old man walking around by himself is going to arouse suspicion. If anything, we may want to split up instead of half of us hanging around here."

Revan nodded. "Good idea, Jolee. Okay, perhaps half of us should explore one part, the other half explore another part? How many do we have here?" Excluding the droids, there were Revan, Quaid, Jolee, Visas, Yuthura, Atton, and Mission. Revan realized that there were five Jedi in his crew, a quick recipe for attention. They definitely would not be able to travel as one group.

"Okay, here's how we're going to split up," Revan addressed them. "Atton, Mission and I are going to go out and explore the area to the south of here. Atton and I are going to be gangsters looking for work, and Mission is going to be our slave."

That caught Mission's attention. "What? Rev, you can't be serious!"

"Mission, if you want to help out, you'll have to play along. Maybe on Taris you could wonder the streets just fine, but around here we have to keep a low profile."

"But Rev, I--"

"Mission, please! Just do this for me, okay?"

The blue Twi'lek sighed. "Okay."

"Good." Revan turned to the rest. "Quaid, you, Visas and Yuthura should explore north of here."

"What will we pretend to be?" the exile asked him.

"Might I suggest we go as bounty hunters? It's the most subtle ploy I can think of," Yuthura suggested.

"Alright, you're bounty hunters. Jolee, I'm afraid you'll have to stay here. But we'll still need your help. We'll keep in touch with you periodically and let you know if we find anything."

"Or if you need help?" Jolee smirked.

"That too."

"Query:" a mechanical voice asked from behind.

"Oh, brother," Mission sighed.

"Might I inquire as to what you will have me do, master? If you don't mind me saying, I my protocols have not been put to good use for quite some time! Please, do not say I must be confined to your ship again!" the red droid begged.

Revan looked at Jolee, who waved him off. "Don't worry, kid. I'll be fine here myself for now."

Revan sighed. "Okay, HK. You can come along."

"Exclamation: Oh, very good, master! I can already feel my behavior core tingling with a feeling you call 'excitement'!"

"Only," Revan began, "You'll be going with Quaid. And you are to obey him as you would obey me, understood? That's an order."

"Resignation: Oh, very well, master. Nevertheless, I am still grateful for the opportunity to spill some of the bodily fluids that make up your meatbag bodies."

"Right."

The crew re-boarded the Ebon Hawk, and the Jedi all traded their set of robes for normal civilian clothes. "Keep your lightsabers handy, guys, but keep them out of sight," Revan instructed. "Try to avoid using them if you can, though." Mission, Atton, and Yuthura all grabbed blaster pistols. Quaid grabbed his vibrosword, and Visas and Revan took vibroblades.

The group exited the Ebon Hawk again and headed for the dock's exit. There, they were greeted by a scruffy-looking Rodian.

"Hey! You think this dock free? This my dock! You want dock, you pay me! You understand?"

"What did he say?" Atton asked.

"He wants us to pay," Revan answered.

"Query: Would you like me to blast--"

"Silence, HK," Revan cut him off before he could finish.

"Indignant resignation: as you wish, master." Revan noticed the droid place a hint of sarcasm on the last word.

"Fee 100 credits! You pay fee, or you no dock!" the Rodian huffed.

"Alright, no need to get pushy," Revan told it. He reached into his pocket and fished out 100 credits. "Here you go." The Rodian greedily grabbed it out of Revan's hands.

"Good. Now, we no have trouble," the Rodian said.

"Can I ask you one question?" Revan asked him.

"Hmph! Me work docks, me no answer questions. You have questions, you ask someone else."

"But surely you can answer just a couple for us?" Revan asked. Quaid and the other Jedi noticed Revan use the force as he spoke. Quaid chuckled on the inside.

"Well, me guess me can answer a couple questions," the Rodian responded blankly.

"Do you have any idea where any Sith might be hiding on this planet?"

"Me no know much about any Sith. Me hear one thing, though. Rumors go round saying Sith and Exchange might be working together."

Everyone's hearts leapt upon hearing these words. Yuthura motioned for Revan to go on.

"Know anything else?"

"Me know nothing. Me just work at docks, just try to stay out of way of Jedi, Sith, and Exchange." the Rodian answered.

"Thank you very much," Revan replied. "And by the way, I did not ask you any questions."

"You did not ask me any questions," the Rodian replied blankly. With that, he turned and walked away.

Revan let loose long breath after the Rodian was gone. "Sorry, guys. We really should not be doing that here," he said, referring to his use of force-persuasion. "Avoid doing that, if you can."

"But at least we found something out," Quaid responded.

"Well, it's just a rumor, but it's a start," Yuthura answered.

"Well, we'd better split up for now," Revan advised them.

"We should start checking out some of the local cantinas around here," Atton suggested. He turned to Quaid. "Off in that direction, I think there are some shops and a swoop track, and maybe a couple refugee camps as well. You should look into those."

"Alright, we'll do that," Quaid answered.

* * *

Revan, Atton, and Mission headed off after bidding farewell to the rest. "Keep in contact!" Revan shouted from afar before he disappeared. Quaid, Visas, Yuthura, and HK-47 headed off toward where Atton had suggested.

"Oh, I almost forgot one thing!" Revan said out of nowhere.

"What?" Mission and Atton asked in unison.

"We need to be in character," Revan said. With that, he delved into his robe pockets and pulled out what looked like a chain.

"Here, Mission," he said to her.

"You can't be serious," she said staring in disbelief.

"Mission, I know you don't want to, but we have to do this if we want to fit in!"

"Okay," Mission growled.

Revan carefully slipped the chain's collar around Mission's wrist and tightened it. "There," he said. "Now you look like a proper slave."

"Gee, thanks, Rev," she replied sarcastically.

"Come on, let's go!" Atton interjected.

The three of them walked along the elevated streets of the city. All around them were dull-colored buildings illuminated in pale white streetlamps. The fact that the sun had set and it was cloudy only served to make the atmosphere even drabber. Around them, they could see civilians in pale, ratty uniforms walking the streets. Ironically, all were human. Those that were not human seemed to stand together in small groups. Gangsters, by the look of them.

"Home sweet home," Atton sighed. "Well, it's not really home, but you never really forget a place like this."

"Perfect place for Hutts, that's for sure," Mission said.

"I think you'll find it's like the opposite of Taris, here," Atton pointed out. "Around here, we humans aren't exactly treated very nicely.

"How did you get by, then?" Revan asked curiously.

"It all depends on the crowd you hang out with. I was stuck in a refugee camp for a while before I worked with the crowd. I had some useful skills the exchange was looking for. I was found by some weirdo named "Visquis" and he hired me to do some dirty work for him, like smuggling that fuel out of Peragus. I doubt he'll let me back in though, seeing as I was caught."

"Is it possible you can lead us to him?" Revan asked him hopefully.

"I might, given that they haven't moved their operations. As I said, I doubt they'll be very happy to see me."

"We should try. People like him are bound to know things."

"Why would the Exchange be working for the Sith, though?" Mission asked curiously.

"I don't know, but I'm betting it's not good," Revan said. "But if we're lucky, we may be able to get to the Sith through the exchange if they really are working together here."

Atton pointed at a sign that hung over what looked like a cantina entrance. "There's one cantina nearby I used to hang out in. They might know me still down there."

"Well, the sooner we get there, the better," Revan said.

* * *

Quaid, Yuthura, Visas, and HK-47 walked along the dark skyway. Around them, various bright signs were probably the only colorful things around. Everything else seemed to be in either a dull grey or white.

Near a dark corner stood a reptilian-looking alien. Quaid noticed the lizard-like alien staring at them as they neared, not taking his eyes off them for a second. A forked tongue slithered out of his mouth, licked his chops, and withdrew again.

"I think he may have something to say to us," Yuthura whispered to him.

Quaid could take it no more, and finally faced the alien when they reached him. "Is there any reason you keep staring at us?" he asked him flatly.

The alien smiled a toothy grin and gave a small hiss that might have been laughter. "Please excuse my behavior. I just could not help noticing your group. If you don't mind me saying, two of you look human, yet are not refugees."

"We are bounty hunters," Quaid answered him. "And this woman here is a Miraluka. We have come here looking for work."

"Work, eh?" the alien hissed. "Well, allow me to introduce myself. I am Ulussk. I am a Trandoshan hunter. Or, I used to be a Trandoshan hunter. I once dedicated myself to the life of bounty hunting, but not anymore."

"Why is that?" Quaid asked curiously.

The lizard hissed. "We bounty hunters used to have dignity. We once had honor. That is the way it was when I was part of them. But now, the hunters that come are little more than credit-rats who have no sense of honor or value. They are scum, and bring shame to the face of hunting. They do not appreciate the true value of the hunt, as I do. And so, I grew disgusted. I would not have anything to do with them, so I retired from it."

"I see," Quaid answered. "But do you happen to know where we might find work?"

"You may try to look for work with the Exchange or from one of the local gangs. I know Vogga the Hutt may be looking for hunters."

"Do you happen to know anything about the exchange?" Yuthura asked him.

The lizard grinned. "Little more than common knowledge, only I know a few things they do not want known. They are currently managed by Visquis on this planet. Rumors abound that they may be working with the Sith on this planet as well, but nobody has been able to confirm it. I would bet my skin it's true, though."

"Interesting," Quaid remarked. He only hoped they would be able to find the Sith somehow on this cesspit of the galaxy. "By the way, what are these refugee camps we keep hearing about?"

"Them? They are the places of refuge for those who have nowhere to go. Most are human, but there other species mixed in as well. Most are people whose lives were destroyed by the Mandalorian wars. Veterans or refugees from the wars had no homes and were forced to come here and scratch a life off this planet. The Exchange has kept a hold on them as well. They operate the camps in secret, keeping them all in place. The refugees don't like this. One small point, though…"

"_Here it comes,"_ Visas thought to herself.

"The refugees have been slowly disappearing recently. Rumors abound of the Exchange hiring massive amounts of mercenaries on this planet. Refugees, bounty hunters, or anyone can get a hold of. People are hired and never seen again. The Exchange puts them to work somewhere, but refuses to say where."

"Hmm. This is interesting. Can you tell us more?" Quaid asked him.

The Trandoshan shook his head. "Not much else that you wouldn't know yourself. I would recommend getting noticed if you wish to work for the exchange. Do something…creative. They will be quicker to hire if you have a reputation. And do not worry; I will keep this a secret. I have no love of the Exchange, either. They too lack honor."

"I sense no deception in him. I believe we can trust him," Visas whispered.

"Very well. Thank you, Ulussk." With that, Quaid and the rest proceeded onward. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Quaid would see if he could contact the Exchange or one of the gangs, but first he wished to investigate one of these refugee camps. He hoped Revan and the others were having some success as well.

* * *

The eerie, dark atmosphere of the Ravager's bridge hung over the place like a fog. At the very end, in front of the huge window, stood the black figure of Darth Nihilus looking out into space. The doors at the opposite end slid open, and a masked Sith Marauder stepped inside.

He cautiously approached his lord and knelt before him. "Master" he asked nervously.

The Sith Lord sucked in a long, raspy breath underneath his skull-like mask. _"Betrayal,"_ Nihilus said in his inhuman voice, not even turning around. _"She has betrayed me."_

"Who, Lord Nihilus?" the marauder asked.

Darth Nihilus turned. _"They have discovered us. My own apprentice sides with our enemies, and even now seeks to aid them in their fight against us."_

"Visas?"

"_She will pay dearly in time for this transgression. Now, what of my artifact?"_ he asked coldly.

"Sion has found it. They have it on Nar-Shadaa, waiting for you to retrieve it."

Nihilus let out a demonic sound that might have been laughter_. "Send ships to the planet to retrieve my artifact. Contact Sion and Traya, and tell them of her betrayal. Tell Sion to watch for our enemies. And tell Traya that she is not to fail in her task. Do you understand?" _

"Y-yes. Of course, Lord Nihilus."

"_Good. Now go,"_ the Dark Lord commanded. The marauder turned and headed out the bridge as fast as he could.

* * *

Ugh…it feels good to finally get this posted. Once again, sorry for the wait. This fic is NOT dead in the water, and I do intend on finishing, even if it takes me months to update. With school and everything else, I just have less time to write. Hope you liked this chapter, and as usual, please R+R. ;) 


	17. Chapter 16: Hunters and Hutts

I'm baaaaack! Geez, this is easily the longest I've ever gone without updating! Sorry, guys. Apologies to everyone for the lack of updates. As I've said before, I just don't have as much time to write though. Fear not, though. This fic is not dead. Just don't expect a lot of updates throughout the winter, thanks to my varsity sports. So, let's get to the story, shall we?

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

**Chapter 16: Hunters and Hutts**

"Rrraaaa! Let me go!" the inhuman voice cried.

The creature pounded on the stasis cell in which it was imprisoned. Its large eyes flashed from blue to red as sparks of force-lightning crackled over its body. The gray, corpse-like form of Darth Sion merely laughed mockingly as he paced the room.

The room itself was dark and ugly. The dark gray, metallic walls were illuminated only by small lights at the top of the ceiling. Computer consoles and controls lined the wall at one side.

"Spare yourself the exertion," Sion replied coolly. "My master has a great deal of interest in you. Don't make me stir his wrath by ending your life before he has a chance to see you."

"As if you would have the willpower, Sith," the creature spat. "Your only will to live comes from hatred. You are a hollow soul encased in malice. Nothing more."

A surge of raise boiled up in Sion, which he quickly repressed. He grinned at the creature. "That may be. But I have attained power greater than any Jedi could ever hope to achieve. Their empty philosophies mean nothing to me."

"And how do you define power, Sion?" the creature asked, this time returning the grin. "The power to slay others is a power least to be envied."

"You do not understand power, creature. I do not hold to the hindering philosophies of the Jedi. I am no slave to their code, and that is why I have ascended beyond them all. The Jedi have outlived their usefulness in this galaxy. The Sith will supplant them." He walked up to the stasis cell. "And you will help us."

The creature lowered its head. "So be it. Such is my fate to be a tool. But you will see, Sion that you are little more than a tool yourself."

Sion snarled and turned away. He walked up to the doorway and raised a hand to the control panel. "Good night," he said mockingly. With that, he turned out the lights and shut the door, leaving the creature alone in the darkness.

* * *

"The refugee section must be nearby," Quaid told the others. He just wished it wasn't so difficult to get directions on this planet. Many of the bounty hunters here simply refused to speak to them if they ever asked for directions.

As the rounded a corner, a man in dirty white clothes standing against the wall reached out his palm. "Excuse me. Spare five credits?" he asked.

"Threat: Do not block our way, meatbag! One word from my master, and I will-"

"Leave him alone, HK!" Quaid snapped. Sensing an opportunity, Quaid stopped next to the man. "Sorry about that droid. He tends to be…aggressive." He tried to put on a cheerful face. "But don't mind him. About those credits, I'll give them to you only if I get something in return," he told him.

The man looked nervous, no doubt from HK's threat and Quaid's request. "W-what do you want? I really don't have anything to give you," he stuttered.

"A little information will suffice," Quaid responded. He drew out a chip and showed it to the man. "Would you care to tell me where the refugee section is?"

The man let out a breath of relief. "Oh, that? Geez, it's right down there." He pointed off to his right. Follow those green signs, go through the docks, and you're there. Don't know why you'd want to go there, though. Most people these days wanna get out of that place."

"Why so?" Yuthura asked curiously.

"Where do I begin? It's a slum, for one thing. It's overcrowded, dirty, basically all-around miserable. And the Exchange isn't helping things at all. Lucky for me I'm not one of them. Being a human isn't so easy around here, though. Humans aren't exactly liked much on this planet."

"What is the Exchange doing to the refugees?" Quaid asked.

"Well, they keep 'em cooped up in there, for one thing! Those blasted crime lords force them all into these little slums, overcharge 'em, and don't let anybody out. Those poor people are nothing but more sources of income for the exchange. Sad, really." He paused. "Except recently they've been hiring out people to go to work somewhere secret."

"It's just as Ulussk said," Visas whispered to the exile.

"And before you ask, no, I don't know where or why the exchange is hiring out refugees. I don't really try to get too involved in the exchange's business. They don't bother me, and I don't bother them. Works both ways."

"Thanks," Quaid said to the man, and handed him the credits. "Here. Take an additional five, too. If you have any more information later, it'd really help us out. It'll pay well, too, if you get my drift."

The man grinned. "I'll keep my ears out for you. Good luck, you guys, with whatever you might be doing."

* * *

The group headed down the walkway toward where the man had directed them. They came into a large, open area which must have been the docks they were told about. As they traversed the walkway, they neared a green Twi'lek who was busy typing at a computer consol. As they got closer he let out a loud curse and pounded the machine. "Curse those Exchange banthas!" he yelled. When he noticed Quaid's eyes watching him, he turned snapped, "What are you looking at, bounty hunters?"

"Oh, nothing," Quaid replied innocently. "May I ask what's causing you so much grief?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but we have been having major problems with getting our ships off the ground."

"We?"

The Twi'lek frowned. "This is Vogga's dock, of course. He has set up his trading operations here. Unfortunately, the Exchange has been blocking our ships from leaving these docks. Any one of our ships that leaves is intercepted by the Exchange. It makes for very bad business. I've been attempting to change our output signals so they match up with the Exchange's, but it's proved rather difficult so far. At this rate, it'd be easier to simply blow the Exchange ships out of the sky."

"What are you trying to get off this planet, anyway?" Yuthura asked him.

"I don't have to answer that!" the Twi'lek snapped. "I'll only tell you that thanks to the blockade, we weren't able to move out a humongous shipment of fuel from Sleheyron. Now we have no buyers and it's just sitting there, useless."

Quaid's heart leapt into this throat when he heard that last part. His mind flashed back to Telos and their fuel problems. Could this be a solution? "Where is Vogga, anyway?" he asked. "We're looking for some work."

"I figured. You'll find him in his 'office' through the pathway on the left. Don't get your hopes high, though. He is a busy Hutt."

The exile motioned for the others to walk along. "Well, thanks. We'll be going now." The Twi'lek grumbled and turned back to the consol.

"Don't think I didn't notice that," Yuthura whispered to him as they left. "Just what got you so excited?"

"Vogga has fuel, right? With Peragus gone, Telos doesn't have fuel. This might solve their problems."

"Quaid, you don't mean to deal with a Hutt, do you?" Yuthura hissed. "We don't know if we can even trust him!"

"I know, Yuthura. But we don't really have much choice here. Telos's situation is desperate. If that planet dies, then all their work will be for nothing. We can't let Telos fail simply because they don't have enough fuel to work it."

"There's got to be another way," Yuthura said angrily.

"If you can think of anything else, I'm all ears," the exile said. Visas was silent through all of this. Quaid could tell her mind was brooding on something. He decided not to pry for the time being.

"Before we go, I'd like to talk to this 'Vogga.'"

"Are you sure that's wise? We don't have much time, Quaid."

"Just trust me, Yuthura," he replied calmly.

The four of them, HK included, approached the doorway which apparently lead into Vogga's offices. It looked normal enough, but Quaid was well aware how gangsters could put up convincing fronts. Off in the distance, the exile heard a deep, guttural laugh.

"Yup. This is a Hutt's place, alright."

As they rounded a corner, an angry-looking Bith pushed past them. "I sure hope you don't intend on going in there," it hissed at them.

"And what if we are?"

"Fine by me. Just don't expect to get very far with that Hutt. If things go my way, I'll be the one he makes the deal with as soon as that blockade is taken care of. So unless you're looking for work, you might as well give up."

"Sorry, but I think that fuel is going to go to somewhere else." Quaid answered. The Bith huffed and walked away.

A three-eyed alien and a Gamorean stood guard outside a doorway. Upon seeing the group, the two guards stopped them. "Halt! What is your business here?"

"We'd like to see Vogga, if you don't mind," the exile answered.

"You'd like to see Vogga, eh?" the Gamorean answered mockingly. "Vogga is busy Hutt. Vogga no have time for more bounty hunters. He does not wish to see you."

"Please, if you could just give us a few minutes," Yuthura asked in a sweet tone. She turned and winked at the exile so the guards wouldn't see.

The two guards faltered, but the Gamorean still replied "No."

"Please?" Yuthura asked a little louder, this time lightly touching the three-eyed alien's chest. The Hutt must have heard her voice from his chamber, because his voice soon boomed from within.

"More bounty hunters? I have time to see a few more. Send them in, you half-wits!"

The guards looked at each other awkwardly before stepping aside to let them pass.

The four of them traversed the short hallway before entering a rather large room set with some comfortable furnishings. In the back against the wall was the huge, bloated, slimy form of Vogga. Flanking him on both sides were two female Twi'leks who were no doubt his slaves. Chained to the wall were three kath hounds which growled at Quaid and the rest as they entered.

"Observation: I believe those furry meatbags are hostile, master. Perhaps I should put them down?"

"No, HK. Just please don't kill anything," Quaid sighed.

The Hutt laughed his deep, guttural laugh. "Ho ho! I like your droid already. I always love the ones with personalities."

"Smug Statement: Even a droid must have some fun once in a while."

"You must be Vogga," Quaid said.

"Look who's the master of the obvious! Yes, I am Vogga. Now, is there a reason why you wanted to see me, or am I going to have to have my guards escort you out early? Perhaps you two lovely females would be willing to work for me? I could always use extra dancers."

Before Yuthura could respond, Quaid cut in. "We won't keep you long. We just heard about your recent problems with the Exchange, and would like to know if we could help out."

"Ho ho ho! I always welcome help against the Exchange. You see, they make business very difficult for me. I am an honest businessman trying to make an honest living. Surely you understand that."

"Quite," Visas replied, hiding her sarcasm.

"The Exchange doesn't like competition, you see. When more outside sources came to me for deals, the Exchange decided to ground all my ships. Now my buyers are starting to disappear. What's worse is I have a huge shipment of fuel from Sleheyron that nobody's buying. It's just sitting around doing nothing as of now. Not a good way to run a business, you see."

"So, how can we help?" Quaid asked.

"I am not one for small talk, so I'll tell you straight." He paused and tugged at a chain attached to one of the female Twi'leks at his side. She responded by taking a pitcher and filling a big glass with some strong-smelling beverage.

Quaid noticed a surge of angry emotions boil up within Yuthura. As a former slave herself, Yuthura had developed a strong dislike for slavery and slavers alike. Ever since leaving the Sith, one of Yuthura's first actions was trying to put an end to slavery wherever she found it. Quaid silently cautioned her to control herself. She regained her composure and stared ahead, trying not to notice Vogga's eyes studying her.

"Where was I? Oh yes. I want somebody, anybody to get rid of that blockade. I don't care how you do it, just get it done. If you succeed, I'll make the first deal with you. Got it? I think that's fair enough."

"That's fair."

"Fine. So, what do you have in mind?" Vogga asked. He slurped some of the beverage out through a long straw. "If it's credits you want, I have more than enough to spare."

"I hear you have fuel. I was wondering if perhaps you'd be willing to give it to Telos."

"Telos, eh? That planet? Why are you so worried about it?"

"Let's just say, I'm a patriot," Quaid replied.

"Ha! And what about Peragus, eh? I thought Telos already had all the fuel it needs."

"Actually, not anymore. Peragus was destroyed."

"Destroyed, eh? Pity. That was a good place for fuel, albeit a very dangerous one."

"The Republic is desperate, and they need that fuel. I'm sure they'd be willing to buy it off you. And just think of all the money you might make off this." He paused to give Vogga some time to contemplate this. "Just one final stipulation and we have a deal."

"Go on," Vogga growled impatiently.

"You promise to give Telos a fair deal, and it's agreed."

The Hutt laughed again. "Ha! I am always fair in business. Fine then. I am a man of my word. You get rid of that blockade, and I'll make sure Telos gets the fuel for a fair price."

"Very well. Pleasure doing business with you, Vogga."

Once outside, Quaid turned to the others. "Let's get to the refugee section before it gets dark."

Visas was still silent. Quaid could tell something was bothering her. "Visas, is something wrong?" he asked her.

She looked up at him. "No." She was lying.

"Visas, what's bothering you?" he asked with concern. She sighed.

"I'm sorry. It's just…" she paused uneasily. "I haven't been completely honest with you on everything. I tried to control myself, but I just can't stop thinking about it."

"About what?" Quaid asked confused.

Visas looked around, well aware of the fact they weren't alone. "Please, some other time?" she asked sincerely.

"Okay."

* * *

"Well, this must be the elevator to the refugee sector," Yuthura observed.

"Well, only one way to go now," Quaid mused. The doors opened and the four of them stepped inside. When the elevator at last came to a halt, they stepped outside into a small corridor. A Gamorean guard and a reptilian Trandoshan stood guard on either side.

"Halt! What do you want?" the Trandoshan hissed.

"We're going into the refugee sector," Quaid answered.

"Too bad. The sector is off limits," the Gamorean huffed.

"Perhaps some credits could get me through?" Quaid asked. "How about 50?"

The guards laughed. "Ha! 100 and no less!" the Trandoshan demanded.

"Could I persuade you to go lower?" Quaid pleaded.

"No!"

"Observation: Judging from your anatomy, heat output, and pulse, your reflexes are rather slow. In other words, it would be no trouble at all for me to blast the both of you before you even lifted a finger. Perhaps I could persuade you to go lower?"

The guards paused nervously and nodded. "Okay, fine, 50 credits will be fine," the Gamorean consented.

"Mocking compliment: Oh, very good! I always knew you meatbags were logical beings!"

Quaid and the others grinned. "Good work, HK," Quaid said to the psychotic droid.

"Humble statement: I am merely doing my part, overseer," HK replied with a hint of pride.

They walked down the narrow, dimly-lit hallway. Finally at the bottom, they stepped once more into the gray world. Needless to say, the refugee sector was no Coruscant. The place was filled with small, tightly packed living spaces. Refugees in dirty white jumpsuits littered the place. The entire place seemed to be rather dead. Then again, none of them expected it to be a cheerful place.

The people around them seemed to pay no heed to their arrival. It was a sad sight to behold. A thick cloud of misery seemed to hang over the place. Near their left, a man was squatting against the wall, looking up lazily. A woman with a crying child stood outside one of the cramped living quarters, trying in vain to hush her.

"There is such angst here. The place is thick with it," Visas commented. Quaid didn't disagree with that.

"Well, we'd better do what we came here for," Yuthura suggested.

* * *

_Bastila_.

Revan cursed on the inside. There practically wasn't a moment where she didn't come up in his mind. Every day he hoped to the force that she would hold out long enough. As they were searching on Nar Shadaa, she was on Dantooine, dying. "Please, hold on, Bastila," he thought to himself.

Though he hated to admit it, he now understood more why the Jedi feared emotional attachments. Revan knew the galaxy was more important. He knew Bastila would want him to do his duty. And yet, he found it maddening to focus on his task. Perhaps the worst part about was that he knew with each passing moment, Bastila faded bit by bit. She was strong willed. Revan knew that if there was one person who would fight hard to live, it was her. But it could not last forever. Unless they could find that "thing", she was doomed.

"Well, here it is," Atton said at last. They stood in front of a large gray door in the wall.

"This is a cantina?" Mission asked in disbelief.

"Of course not. This is just the elevator. The cantina's down below," Atton corrected.

Sure enough, the doors slid open revealing a small elevator platform.

"Ladies first," said motioning with his hand.

"Gee, thanks," Mission replied sarcastically.

Atton was the last one to step in. Once inside, he pressed a button on the control panel and the platform descended.

A few seconds later it came to a soft halt. The doors slid open to reveal a small hallway with two more doorways. The faint sound of music could be heard emanating from behind the doors. Just as they stepped out, one of the doorways to the right opened and out stepped two reptilian aliens which gave a slight hiss as they walked by.

"So, Atton, what is this place?" Revan asked.

"Well, the door to the right leads to the cantina. The door to the left is a pazaak den where I used to play. It's a good place to hang out." He stopped. "And for getting information," he added slyly.

They stepped into the doorway on the right. Before them lay a seemingly placid cantina. Off to the left against the wall was a bar in front of which sat two aliens. The floor was dotted with round tables, some of which were empty, the others holding one or two occupants. At the very back, a small Bith band played. Like the rest of the planet, there weren't many humans inside. In fact, the only human Revan saw was the bartender.

Noticing Atton, the bartender perked up and waved. "Hey, Atton! Long time no see! Where have you been?"

"Hey, Malton," Atton said casually. He, Revan, and the leashed Mission walked up to the bar and took a seat. "Where have I been? Well, prison for one thing."

"Really? Can't say I'm surprised. What – did the Republic catch ya?"

"Pretty much. Luckily, they didn't have much on me, though. Actually, it's partly thanks to this fine guy right here." Atton playfully patted Revan on his shoulder.

"Oh yeah, I've never seen you two before! What's your name?"

"You can call me…" Revan caught himself just in time before he uttered his real name. Frantically, he went through names in his head. Trask? Bandur? Skywalker? "Corto," he finished.

"I see. And who is this blue young lady next to you?"

"_She_ is my servant as of now," Revan interjected. "I'm trying to look for a buyer for her so I can get her off my hands." He pinched her cheek playfully, pretending not to notice her sour expression. "But she's a good girl; a good investment. You just have to handle her gently."

"Oh yes, the master is so kind," Mission said with fake enthusiasm. "He gives me clothes and doesn't beat me as often as he used to."

Atton resisted his urge to laugh.

"I see…" the bartender mused. "Well, I doubt you'll have much trouble finding a buyer. This place is loaded with gangsters."

"Excellent," Revan grinned.

"So Malton, what's been going on, lately?" Atton asked. "While you're at it, give us two rounds of Juma juice."

"Gotcha. Well, not much has been really happening. The only thing I can think of is the Exchange is being kind of active as of late. Not that it really matters on this planet, but they haven't exactly been stealthy in their operations lately. They've intercepted a bunch of Vogga's freighters, for one thing. And for some reason, they've been doing a lot of hiring. They've been enlisting bounty hunters and everything. Don't ask me why."

"Interesting," Atton muttered.

"What's this I've heard about the Exchange working with the Sith?" Revan asked quietly.

The bartender paused and leaned in. "Well," he whispered. "It's really nothing more than a rumor. But I'd be willing to bet it's true. Just the other day, there was word of Sith freighters making a landing here in Nar Shadaa. There was word going on around about some 'precious cargo'. But uh, you didn't hear that from me."

Revan's heart leapt. Sith ships? Precious cargo? Could they have been the same ones from Dantooine? "Any idea where?" Revan asked anxiously.

"Shh! Not too loud!" The bartender looked around, then focused once more on Atton and Revan. "Nope. That's all I know. But from what I hear, the Exchange hasn't said a word about it." He leaned out and refocused his attention on mixing the drinks.

"Ah. Well, thanks, Malton," Atton said.

"No problem," the bartender replied. "By the way," he added. "I would be careful around here, Atton. Word is Visquis isn't too happy with you. Turns out you getting arrested kind of put a dent in his plans. I'll bet he might be out hunting for you right now."

"I figured," Atton said sarcastically. "Well, I suppose Visquis is eager for a chat, anyway. I don't think we'll have a hard time finding the exchange."

"Well, good luck with it. You're gonna need it."

* * *

Well, sorry for the wait guys. I'm sorry if this chapter is a little less exciting then the others, too. It's another one of those annoying transitional ones. I promise it'll get more exciting, though. As I said above, don't expect very many updates through the winter. School, sports, and college apps are currently getting in the way of things. Darn my personal life:) 


	18. Chapter 17: Conflicts

Well, I can see from the astounding number of reviews of the last chapter that people absolutely loved it. :) Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter a little better. I admit I'm not even satisfied with the last couple. And following the amazingly disappointing ending to "A Casualty of War", I need to do some writing of my own. As usual, I didn't get this chapter out as early as I wanted to, but I thank you guys for being patient.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I think… Yup, I don't.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Conflicts**

Atris sat alone in the academy's archives. For days, she had studied and pondered the Sith holocrons that until recently, she had barely even touched. The past few nights had proved almost sleepless for her. For hours straight, she sat studying and meditating on the ancient Sith teachings that lay before her. As she sat there, brooding, the voice of an ancient Sith speaking a long-forgotten language spoke in the background.

Atris had never realized how fascinating and strangely alluring these teachings really were. It had begun with Kreia's words to her. Atris had pondered them, even reminded herself repeatedly that the dark side was never to be used or studied. She even recited the Jedi Code to herself numerous times to keep herself away from them. But eventually, the temptation proved too great. Her glance at these holocrons quickly turned into a skimming. The skimming turned into reading. The reading turned quickly into studying, which then soon turned into…an obsession.

The Jedi Masters had of course noticed her strange behavior as of late. Atris had always been self-reserved, but now she was even more so than usual. Few of them, mostly Vandar and Kavar, had asked her if she was alright. Atris of course insisted that she was okay, that she was merely tired, that they need not pry. Vandar had asked her as to what she was doing in the archives, why she had kept herself locked in them for hours on end. Her excuses were anything she could come up with. That she was searching for records, trying to find information on the Sith, making sure the archives were kept up to date, anything.

Amazingly, Kreia, who had instigated this, hadn't questioned Atris once regarding this. Kreia was now a guest and resident at the Academy, as she really had nowhere else to go. Kreia and Atris would occasionally cross paths, but neither would say a word to each other.

Atris though engrossed in these recent studies, had become increasingly aware that she was starting to be swayed by all she had heard. Kreia's previous words now echoed within her as loudly as ever. She swore to herself that she would never use the dark side for herself. But never did she know the subject was so _fascinating_.

In the midst of her studies, Atris heard a dry voice break the silence.

"Learning anything?"

Atris jerked around to meet the voice which had undoubtedly belonged to Kreia. The old woman's frail figure stood in the doorframe to the archives. Atris didn't know how Kreia had managed to approach her without her sensing it, but it had shocked her enough for Kreia to see plainly.

"How-how long have you been here?" Atris asked her flatly.

"Does it matter? I'm here, aren't I?" the sly woman responded. "But to answer you, long enough to tell what you were doing."

Atris was aware of the nervousness that had already built up inside of her. "I, I was only-"

Kreia raised a hand. "Ah! No need to cover up your actions. I have no desire to inform the Jedi Council of your actions anyway. I merely wished to enquire exactly what you were doing. There's no denying you were looking at that Sith holocron. Is that a bad thing? I wasn't aware that was a crime."

"It's not," Atris stuttered. "A Jedi Master may at times examine them for information, but…"

"You were worried someone might think you were studying them for a different reason. Am I right?"

"Y-Yes," Atris breathed. Kreia approached Atris without making a sound. The old woman raised a hand as if she was about to make a point.

"There are two sides of the force, Atris: light and dark. The Jedi fear the darkside, but what they fail to understand is that they are part of the same force. They would have you believe the darkside is never to be used, but that is a lie, Atris."

"But the darkside is evil, Kreia."

"Is it?" the old woman mused. "What is evil, Atris? Would you then say the force itself is evil? And who are we to say what is evil and what is not? Is there even such a thing?"

"I don't understand," Atris stated flatly.

"The Jedi Masters live in their own world, Atris," Kreia replied sharply. "They fear that which they do not know, the darkside among many things. They believe it is evil, but they do not understand it. Tell me, Atris, what do you feel about what you have seen?"

The Jedi Master faltered. Her expression was almost that of guilt. "I admit," she finally stuttered. "It has proven to be quite alluring." She didn't notice the slight smile appear on Kreia's face. "I have found myself sometimes even wondering what it would be like if I had followed that philosophy instead. Sometimes I found myself even questioning our own code."

"But it didn't start with these holocrons, did it? Your doubt was planted long ago by one of your own. By the one your council refers to as _the exile_."

Atris's eyes rolled as if she were recalling some distant memory. "I remember that day," she explained. "The day he left to fight the Mandalorian wars. He and Revan seemed so…_right_. And it made me ponder. I spent so much time thinking about why we hadn't joined the war. Why _I_ hadn't joined. When he came back, he was a different person. But he still had those seeds of rebellion in him. When he thrust his lightsaber into the stone and left, I felt the slightest urge to go with him."

"And you will need to contrast, Atris, in order to fully understand. You must look at things from other than the perspective of your peers. And then, you must look at the force as a whole. Only then will you realize that the Jedi code does not give all the answers. If you want to know true power, Atris, you must make your own decisions. Even if it means harnessing the power of both sides."

"But the darkside is-"

"Evil? How so? Some would say it is freedom. The freedom to express yourself. The freedom to do what you please. The freedom to develop yourself to your potential. And what about the Jedi code? Forcing others to keep their minds closed, telling others what to do, how to think, to abstain from the very things everyone else is allowed to – would you not consider that evil as well?"

Atris remained silent.

"There is one thing about war that is well-known: one of the greatest weapons against your enemies is their own. And this goes the same for the darkside as well. Learn to control it, instead of it controlling you, and you will then know true power."

Atris sighed. "I must have time to reflect on this. I am…tired."

"Very well. I will leave you be, then. But please, consider my words," Kreia whispered. Just then, they heard someone approaching. Atris immediately switched off the Sith holocron. From what she sensed, Master Kavar was coming, and he seemed rather distressed. Within moments, he appeared in the doorway of the archives.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. We were just talking," Atris responded as calmly as she could.

"I do not wish to interrupt, but I have bad news," Kavar told them.

"What?" Atris asked.

"We received a transmission from the strike team sent to Dantooine. They've encountered some difficulties," he replied.

"Why? What's happened?" she asked anxiously.

"The team met found and fought with the Sith. From what they gathered, they were there to recover some sort of 'artifact'. Revan and the rest tried to stop them, but the Sith got away with whatever they'd be searching for."

"What has Revan done? Is he still there?"

"That's the problem," Kavar spoke. "He and a few others just left immediately for Dantooine without even telling us. They're probably there by now."

"He just left without even consulting us first?"

"It is Revan we are talking about, Master Atris."

"Some things never change. And what about Bastila? Did she go with him?" Atris asked as she stood up.

Kavar paused uneasily. "No. She is still on Dantooine. But she is not well."

"What's wrong?"

"I am not sure exactly, she may have been severely wounded in battle. They only told me that she is quite ill. She may be dying."

Suddenly, Atris felt dizzy. Before she could stumble she put a hand on the wall to steady herself.

"That is why I came to see you. Vandar has requested that the Jedi council meet to discuss what has transpired and see what to do. I trust you will attend?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Then I will see you there," Kavar replied. He turned, shot a look at Kreia, who had been silent the whole time, and left. Once again, the two female masters stood alone in the archives.

"Consider my words," Kreia said with a piercing tone. Without making a sound, she turned and left.

* * *

The refugee sector was gloomy, to say the least. Civilians in dirty white suits dotted the dark gray surroundings. Most of them surprisingly paid Quaid and his companions no heed. He guess that with the exchange's tight hold on the sector, seeing bounty hunters must have been fairly common. He figured that's what most of them thought they were – exchange workers. 

"Excuse me!" Quaid called out to a man walking by. "Where is your leader? We need to speak with him."

"If you want to know what's going on, talk to Houssef. He's over there." The man pointed at a group of small huts near the center of the large area.

"Thank you," Quaid replied. The man didn't respond but just kept walking. Quaid, Visas, Yuthura, and HK headed toward where the man had directed them.

"Excuse me. Where is Houssef?" Quaid asked one of them once they had neared the area.

"He's right over there. You'll find him outside his hut."

Sure enough, they found a few men gathered outside a small group of living structures. In the very center, a small fire burned. The four companions stopped near the group of chatting men, who had taken notice of their arrival.

"What do you want? Are you from the exchange?" one of them asked as they approached. The man had a faint brown beard and mustache, and looked like he was going partially bald at the top.

"Are you Houssef?" Quaid asked him.

"Yes, I am he. Is there something you want?" he asked again.

"Yes. If I may take some of your time, I only need a little information," Quaid replied.

"Well, that is what I am here for. You'll have to excuse my abrupt behavior, the exchange has been coming here quite often recently. I thought you might have been them."

"What has the exchange been doing here?" Yuthura asked him.

"A lot of things. But recently they've been coming in and meeting up with people around here. Mostly it's the young men around here they've been coming to. They're hiring them for something, but I don't know what."

"Why has the exchange been keeping such a tight grip over this community?" Quaid asked him.

"Woah, slow down a minute. Who are you, anyway, and why do you want to know all this? Are you new to the area?"

"We are. And let's just say we are interested in finding out about this planet."

"Well, I won't stop you. I won't ask why you come to me, but I'll tell you what I know."

"So, why is the exchange operating here?"

Houssef sighed. "It's a long story. Why don't you sit down? I'm afraid the living space inside is rather cramped, so it's a little more comfortable out here." Around the fire were cushions for makeshift seats. Quaid and the other two sat down, while HK continued to stand watch.

"Let's see, where do I begin?" Houssef started. "After the Mandalorian wars, many of the veterans of the wars had no place to go. Not to mention there were a lot of people driven from there homes. To make a long story short, many people couldn't go back home, so many people decided to settle here. Most people had hoped to be here temporarily, but instead the stay ended up being permanent."

"What happened to them?" Yuthura asked.

"Unfortunately for them, the Exchange was operating on this planet and found out about the refugee problem. We all know how the Exchange likes credits. They saw a golden opportunity here," he paused and sighed again. "The Exchange had owned some areas around here and had agreed to let the settlers stay there. Unfortunately, it came at a heavy price, literally. The Exchange decided to place a heavy tax on the refugees living here. Most of us earn meager earnings anyway, and with the tax here, many can only afford the clothes on their own backs. It's not an easy life, needless to say."

"But I don't understand. Why not just leave?" Quaid asked him.

"A lot of reasons. For one thing, many don't have anywhere else to go. Most of us don't have enough credits to get off this planet. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Exchange isn't so willing to give up one of their sources of income on this planet. So they've pretty much made it clear they don't intend to let us leave. So in the end, most of us are stuck here."

"That is awful!" Yuthura replied.

"It's not easy for us here, but we manage to survive. I myself am really more of a representative here than a leader, anyway. The Exchange comes to me mostly for discussions around here, and I'm the one the refugees rely on to make decisions, though there aren't much to be made."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Houssef. The Exchange is a ruthless organization," Quaid replied.

"And there you have our little story. I'm afraid there isn't much else to say. People here have just lost hope. The only hopes of getting out of here is working with the Exchange, which, I'm sorry to say, seems to be happening more and more now."

"Well, thanks for your time, Houssef," Quaid shook his hand. "You were a great help. I just have one more question: do you think it'd be possible for us to get hired, too?"

"Looking for a job, eh? I figured. Nope, I don't think you'll have much trouble with that."

"Good. But don't take us wrong, Houssef." Quaid whispered into his ear. "We are no friends of the Exchange."

"Hmm. Well, good luck to you then. If you want to meet up with them, just find one of their thugs and discuss meeting up with Visquis. You won't have to look very far, the Exchange is everywhere. Now, is there something else I can help you with?"

"No, you have been a great help. Thank you."

Quaid and the rest walked out of the refugee area, discussing what they had just learned.

"I don't know. I've heard so much about the Exchange hiring those refugees," Quaid spoke. "They're up to something, that much is for sure. And if they're working with the Sith, I'm betting somehow those two things are linked."

"I think you're right," Yuthura agreed. "I think the best way to handle this is to try and infiltrate the Exchange. If we have any luck, we'll be able to get to the bottom of this."

"I'll have to speak with Revan about this. I hope he's found out something as well."

"We may also want to contact Jolee and see how the ship is doing."

"That's fine." Quaid's mind suddenly turned to Visas. "Yuthura, why don't you contact Jolee and Revan. I need to speak with Visas for a moment."

Yuthura looked at him suspiciously. Quaid thought she was going to object, but ended up nodding and reaching for her communicator.

"Visas, there was something you wished to tell me?" he asked her.

The small Miraluka nodded. "Yes. But I would like for us to be somewhere private."

"Very well." Quaid turned to HK. "HK, would you mind standing guard next to Yuthura? Just keep watch beside her while we're talking."

"Compliance: As you wish, overseer. I will see to it that your purple tentacle-headed meatbag comes under no harm." The bloodthirsty droid raised his rifle, almost as if he were holding a trophy, and walked away to join Yuthura.

Out of the corner of his eye, Quaid spotted a small, dark alley between two buildings. Quaid gestured with his hand, and she followed him. Once there, the two of them stood face to face.

Visas bowed her head. "I'm afraid I have not been entirely open to you about everything. I have been especially secretive about my past. And…I know that your friend, Revan, is under a terrible amount of stress right now."

"Yeah, I've noticed," Quaid replied dryly. "What does it have to do with you?"

"I know how he feels, the loss of the one he loves would be a devastating loss to him. But I wanted to tell you, Bastila…was a friend of mine as well. I knew her."

Quaid practically jerked back in shock. "You…know her?" he asked.

"Yes. I never told you, but Bastila and I had trained together when we were apprentices. We were close friends, best friends, during our time on Dantooine." She gave a silent, sad laugh. "I always knew she would be a great Jedi someday. But we didn't see each other after I left Dantooine."

"Why did you leave Dantooine?" Quaid asked. But then the realization came to him. "You wanted to be with your people, didn't you?"

"I did. My family had brought me to Dantooine so I may be trained in the ways of the force. My people are force-sensitive, but my parents had hoped I would receive great training and become a Jedi. But after I attained the rank of "Padawan", I left Dantooine to join my people on Katarr. I wanted to help them. Bastila and I had promised to meet each other again eventually, but it was never to be."

"Things happened, right?"

"A lot of things happened. The Mandalorian Wars happened. My family and I fled to Coruscant. And then, of course, the Jedi Civil War happened. The Jedi were being attacked in every stratagem of war. Bastila's talent was discovered, and she was brought to the front lines. I of course had joined the Republic in its fight as well, but I never did see her. When the wars were over, I was rejoiced to find out she was still alive. I learned all about her fall to the darkside and her journey back, as well as what had happened to Revan as well. But I was still needed at home. Katarr had been weakened after the wars, and I wanted to help rebuild it. But I was so happy. I promised myself that as soon as I could, I would go and see her." She lowered her head once more. "But that too, never happened."

Quaid frowned. "Katarr was…"

"Then, he came," Visas choked. "The entire colony was destroyed. Lord Nihilus spared me only, and took me in as his apprentice, and made me what you see now."

"Oh Visas, I'm sorry," Quaid tried to comfort her.

"When I was given my mission, I dreaded it. I feared I would have to confront you, Revan, or her. The entire time, I just could not bring myself to face her, so I went after you instead. And when you caught me, I feared that I would have to confront Bastila again. I was so ashamed. I didn't want her to see me because I knew she wouldn't want to see me…like this."

Quaid placed his hands on her shoulders.

"And when I heard what had happened to her, I was so ashamed and afraid. Deep down, I felt I was partly to blame. I couldn't help but think I was partly responsible. And that is one reason why I decided to follow you. I did not want to let her down. I wanted to make it up to her."

"Visas, I'm sorry. Why didn't you tell us?"

"It was fear on my part, and shame. When I heard what happened to her on Dantooine, I wanted to say something, but I just couldn't. And my master had always told me such feelings were weakness."

"Oh Visas, we've been over this before. Having concern for those you love doesn't make you weak. I've always thought that not being afraid to show your true emotions for anything was strength in itself."

Visas gave a weak smile, much to his relief. "I can see why the Jedi followed you, exile. You do have a way with words. But if you don't mind, may I ask you a question, now?"

"By all means."

"You have been through many terrible things in your lifetime as well. In your short lifetime, you've seen more than many would in their entire lives. And yet, you still seem to have determination. Despite all the death and destruction you've seen, you still have hope. You still value life. Why?"

Quaid paused. That wasn't an easy question to answer. "Well, I did lose hope for a while, Visas. But during my exile, I learned things as well. Death and misery is unavoidable. But what gives me strength is that I know that there is good in the galaxy. There are things worth fighting for. I guess my experiences in the Mandalorian wars showed me how precious life is. And so, I fight to preserve it. I don't know if that even makes sense, but hey."

Visas nodded. "I think it makes sense."

Quaid cupped his hand over her chin and raised her head so her unseen eyes met. "Hey, you're on our side now, right? Don't worry about whatever you might have done with the Sith. I haven't known you for very long, Visas, but I can tell it's not who you are. You're with us now, and you're part of the team. We are here to support each other, you included, alright? So don't ever feel like you need to be left out, alright?"

Visas smiled. "Thank you," she whispered. Quaid returned the smile, and the two continued to gaze at each other.

"Quaid? Visas? Are you two done, yet?" Yuthura's voice suddenly snapped the two back into reality. The two of them quickly exited the alley onto the street.

"Look, I contacted Revan, and they're on their way back to the Ebon Hawk. He said he'd meet us there to discuss things. But he said we should avoid being seen together if we can, so we shouldn't head back until later to discuss what we've found."

"Good idea," Quaid nodded. "We could all use some rest, anyway."

"The sooner we get back, the better. I was done talking to Revan for some time before you two finished. This droid here didn't make things any easier."

"Objection: Overseer, I was merely trying to inform your purple meatbag how her tentacles could prove very useful target practice given ideal conditions."

"That is what I am talking about," Yuthura growled.

Quaid stifled a laugh. "Okay, let's go."

* * *

Revan, Mission, and Atton exited the Cantina. They were headed for the Ebon Hawk, preparing to discuss and rest for the day and continue the search later. Time was of the essence, though, and Revan knew they couldn't afford to rest for long. 

"Well, we do know a couple things now," Revan said to the other two. "I think if we want to find the Sith, we'll have to go through the Exchange. How we'll do it is another issue."

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Atton added. "I don't think Visquis intends to avoid me for very long, if you get my drift."

"I guess this means I'm still your 'servant', right, Rev?" Mission asked glumly.

"Unfortunately for you, yes," he replied teasingly.

"Oh, great."

Revan was momentarily distracted when he heard laughing behind them. As he turned, he noticed two male Twi'leks looking at them, laughing to themselves.

"Is there something wrong?" Revan asked them in an annoyed tone.

The two of them looked at him with fake innocence. "Oh, nothing," the blue one replied. We just notice the company you keep." He pointed at Atton, who only glared back at them.

"The Exchange is definitely after you, I'd watch your back if I were you." The two Twi'leks approached them. "Just watch out, okay, and you'll be fine," the red Twi'Lek told him. "Although…" he whispered into Revan's ear, "Watch out for those you think are your friends, too. You may be surprised what you find out about them."

Revan was both confused and a little nervous. He couldn't tell for sure, but he had a hunch they were referring to Atton.

"Well, we'd better get going," the red one said. The two of them hurried off.

"What did he whisper to you?" Atton asked curiously.

Revan almost told him, but held his tongue. Something told him he should refrain. "Oh, nothing," he lied. "We should get going."

Atton looked at him suspiciously, but eventually shrugged and turned around. Mission shot confused glances at the two. Revan motioned for her to follow, and the three made their way back to the Ebon Hawk.

* * *

The plot thickens! Well, with midterms going on, I couldn't really finish this chapter when I wanted to. Hopefully, I'll soon have more time to write, since I'm now in the second semester of high school and am done with college applications. (Yay) :) Hope you guys liked it, and as usual, please read and review. Until next time, adios. 


	19. Chapter 18: A Way In

_I'm BACK_! I'm back in black! Oh yeah.

Whoo! Three months since the last update! No, I'm not dead. I'd like to apologize to everyone who's been reading this fic and being patient so far. I haven't been getting these chapters out nearly as fast as I've wanted to, work, laziness, and computer problems being big reasons. -- whew It's taken almost a year to write this fic! However, good news is that I finally have more time to write this fic and get the chapters out faster. Once again, apologies, and thanks for your patience. Also, check out my profile for updates for info on fics if they ever take a while to update.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

**Chapter 18: A Way In**

Revan leaned back in his seat he and the rest of the crew sat around in the main hold. They all sat, busily discussing what they had all seen and learned their first day on Nar-Shadaa.

"Well, we know this much," Revan spoke. The Exchange has a tight hold on this planet. This whole place is like a breeding ground for thugs. And on top of it all, Visquis seems to be after Atton's hide."

"They've also got a really tight hold on the refugees," the exile added. "They're keeping them inside the sector in order to squeeze every credit they can out of them."

"On top of it all, the Exchange now may be working with the Sith. We will have to get into the Exchange somehow if we want to find out what is going on," Yuthura hypothesized.

"I think you're right," Revan replied. "The key issue here is how we're going to do it. Thankfully, we haven't really attracted any attention yet. But my gut tells me we're bound to do it soon, so we'll have to try and infiltrate them before people suspect us."

"Well, what are our options?" Quaid asked. "We could try to get hired by posing as bounty hunters."

"The Exchange is after me. Once word gets around, they'll send somebody after me anyway," Atton implied. "We could try to get in that way."

"Well we gotta decide sometime soon," Mission blurted. "We can't waste time here!"

"What do you think, Revan?" Quaid asked him.

"Easy. We'll do both," he replied.

"What?" Yuthura asked, shocked.

"Well, isn't it obvious? We'll have a much better chance at succeeding if we work together on this. And this way, even if one way fails, we'll have a backup plan to fall back to. At this point, there isn't much choice we have, here."

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Quaid said.

"Atton's going to be pretty much invited over. I figure I'll be able to go with him and pose as a slaver. I've already got a 'servant'." Mission rolled her eyes at the comment. "Quaid, Visas, Yuthura, and HK have already posed as bounty hunters. If they can get noticed, they'll have a shot at getting hired by the Exchange."

"Well, we don't have much time to plan this. But I think we're all tired. Maybe we should sleep on this?" Quaid suggested.

"Good idea. We'll figure out what to do in the morning," Revan agreed.

The crew disbanded and drifted into their separate dormitories. HK-47 went to his business of patrolling the ship, and T3 scuttled about doing its tasks.

Back in the men's dorm, Revan leaned back on his bunk. He tried to force himself to sleep, but a thousand thoughts raced through his head. Everything was becoming so confusing…

His minded drifted back to the bizarre creature that had been the cause of all this. Why did the Sith want it to so badly? And worse, _how was it created_? Revan felt there was more to the story than he knew. He had already seen the awful destructive power it possessed. In a flash, it devoured Bastila's power and left her practically dead. It wielded the force well enough – without any training – to kill others easily with it. It did not appear malevolent, to Revan's gratitude. But he had already seen enough of its destructive potential to know how dangerous it was. Revan could see why the Jedi had tried to keep it a secret for so long. Its ability alone to drain others of the force disturbed him greatly. He shuddered to think of the power the power the Sith would wield if they had mastered a technique such as that.

Even more, what were the Sith doing now? So far, they had shunned the open confrontation they were so fond of in the past and instead had switched to lurking in the shadows. They were planning something major, he was sure of it. He knew now, thanks to Visas, that they were behind the events on Katarr, and now they were planning something major. And he was sure the creature was a focal point of it.

Even with all these thoughts running through his head, Revan felt sleep tugging at his eyelids until finally they closed and he drifted off into his dreams.

* * *

He looked around him. He wasn't in the Ebon Hawk anymore. The dark gray interior of the hawk was replaced by a bright blue sky. Instead of his bed, he was lying on a soft bed of grass. Confused at first, he sat up to get a better view of his surroundings, but quickly the realization came to him that he was back on Dantooine. With that followed another realization that this must be another vision.

"Oh boy," he thought to himself.

"Beautiful, is it not?" a very familiar voice asked him. Revan turned his head and beheld her standing right there.

"Bastila?" he asked, dumbfounded. There she was. Sunlight glinted off her as if she was an angel. To his joy, she was no longer the way she was when he had left her. Her skin was no longer a sickly pale color; instead all the color seemed to have returned to her as if it had never left. Her eyes were no longer a dull, grayish-blue, but had returned to the vibrant ocean-blue he had remembered. He lay there, staring at her, almost too awestruck to move.

"Surprised to see me?" she asked him.

"Well, yeah. A little," he replied sarcastically. "Too bad this is all a dream."

"Then it's a good dream," she responded softly as she approached him. She knelt down and lay over him, while he wrapped his arms around her and the two shared a blissful kiss. Revan almost couldn't believe this was a vision. Everything seemed so real - her lips, her skin, the very ground he was lying on felt as if it was really there. Revan however, could tell one thing – Bastila was there. Or at least, in a way. He could feel her presence in the dream.

"How are you here?" he asked her after they had pulled away.

"I'm contacting you through our bond, Revan. I don't know how long I can maintain this, but I had to reach you. For your own sake."

"What?"

"Revan, you're giving up hope. I could sense it. Please, I don't want you to lose sight of what's at stake here."

"I'm sorry, Bastila."

"Don't be. I know what you are going through, believe me. But I don't want you to give up because of me. If you truly love me, Revan, you won't let go of everything you once cared about just because of me. If I died, Revan, would you be able to carry on?"

That question caught him off guard. He didn't know what to say. There was once a time when Revan would have been able to answer that easily. But that was before he had fallen in love. He hated to admit it, but he could almost see why the Jedi feared love so much. He struggled to answer her, but he couldn't. "You're not going to die, Bastila," he finally replied.

She frowned. "Revan…you don't know that."

"Bastila, don't say that!" he protested more firmly than he'd intended.

"Revan, listen to me, please," she begged. "I love you with all my heart. And I know you feel the same about me. I know you'd do anything for me. But if I don't make it through this, I need you to be able to carry on. I don't want to see you tempted to throw everything away. I know you would Revan."

Revan sighed and looked down, avoiding her gaze.

"Remember our promise, Revan," she resumed. "That no matter what, you wouldn't lose sight of what you have to do. If you truly love me, then please press on, even if I don't…make it. You must find the strength from yourself and your friends." She raised his head up so their eyes met. "You'd say the same thing in my position, Revan. I know you would. You know it, too."

Revan, as much as he didn't want to admit it, couldn't deny it. He looked deep into her eyes and smiled for the first time. "Agreed. Just don't you quit on me too soon, alright?"

She laughed. "You said you'd always be there for me, Revan. Well, I'll always be here for you, too. And you know we'll never truly be apart from each other, Revan. Even in death." She leaned down and kissed him again. Revan reached and grabbed her hand and held it.

"Thanks, princess."

Her lips curved in a sweet smile. "You know what you must do. I have faith in you, Revan. I know you can do this. Oh, and Revan, as for what you're looking for – just follow the gizka."

"What? What does that mean?" he asked her, confused.

"You'll find out soon enough." She smiled. "Farewell, my love. Good luck." On cue, Revan could feel her presence begin to fade. But it was not over yet. Her expression turned grave. Revan saw her skin fade once again to an almost ghastly white. The vivid blue in her eyes faded into dullish gray-blue.

"Hurry, Revan," she whispered before fading away.

* * *

Revan woke abruptly, and was back in the familiar interior of the Ebon Hawk. He let out a deep sigh and sat up, the memory of the vision racing through his head.

"Follow the gizka?" he thought to himself. "What the hell does that mean?" He slumped back down onto the sheets. "I'll save you, Bastila. I promise."

* * *

Revan was the first to wake up the next morning. He dressed and went over to the main hold, where he found the two droids.

"Greeting: Hello, master! I hope your recharge period went well. Is there anything you would like me to do for you?"

"No thanks, HK," he replied wearily.

T3 beeped and buzzed noisily, startling Revan.

"Oh, master, your utility droid wishes to inform you that you received a transmission while you were recharging."

"From who?" Revan asked.

"Answer: From Admiral Onasi. He sounded most distressed."

"Play the transmission!"

A second later, T3 projected a blue 3D image of Carth Onasi talking to the room. _"This is Admiral Onasi contacting the Ebon Hawk. Revan, I don't mean to rush you, but you might want to finish whatever you're doing there as soon as possible. We've just received word of more Sith sightings within Republic space. This time they were spotted on the rim worlds of Onderon and Tatooine. I don't know what they're doing, but I don't like it. And we could use your help over here as soon as possible. Contact me whenever you get the chance if you want to talk about this. Admiral Onasi signing out."_

Revan groaned. "Lovely." He said to himself.

Later, when everyone was up and gathered in the main hold, Revan addressed them once more.

"Alright, guys. We have an idea what's going on here so far. We don't have much time, so we can't waste it here. We'll go out in the same groups as yesterday and do some more investigating. Hopefully we'll be able to attract the Exchange's attention soon enough. We already have a former employee." He cocked his head toward Atton, who rolled his eyes. "But just in case, Quaid and the others we'll try to get in on the inside as well. Jolee will stay here and watch the ship."

"And above all," he added, "We cannot be seen with each other. We'll leave the Ebon Hawk one group at a time and go off in different directions. We can keep in contact through our communicators. Quaid, you and the others may have to find somewhere else to stay in the meantime so we don't blow our cover. We've been pretty lucky so far in not being noticed together. Let's keep it that way."

* * *

Later, Revan, Mission, and Atton were making their way through the dank streets of the city. Revan, still remembering the suspicious message given to him by the two Twi'leks yesterday, kept a wary eye on Atton.

"Atton, where in your opinion would the worst of Nar-Shadaa hang out?" he asked as they walked.

"The Jek-Jek Tarr is a good place. We could also check out check out swoop track. The Cantina next to it is also a favorite place for bounty hunters."

"Good. I think we'll stop at the swoop track first."

"Of course," Atton added, "Not many people race that much, anymore. The owner of the track has this one robot that nobody can beat. He's using the thing to reap in profits so he can pay off some debt with the Exchange."

"Sheesh! Those guys are just everywhere on this planet!" Mission remarked.

"Follow me. We can take the shuttle," Atton motioned.

A quick shuttle ride later, they came to a large building. In front of the building was a large pylon standing over the entrance. Behind the building were tall lights and a wide open space that appeared Revan guessed was the swoop track.

"A favorite place for bounty hunters, you say?" Revan asked Atton.

"Yep. Hard to believe, I know. It's a favorite place to hang out because information tends to spread around where people gather. The swoop track is a great place for that."

"Well, that makes sense, I guess."

The inside of the building was not like what Revan had seen in previous swoop tracks. Having already been to three on Taris, Tatooine, and Manaan, Revan had already learned that swoop tracks are very different depending on which planet you go too. The one on Manaan felt much more like legitimate community entertainment, whereas the one on Taris had felt more like an underground gangster event. The one on Nar-Shadaa almost instantly seemed to Revan like a combination of the two. He figured it may have to do with the fact that gangsters made up a lot of people on this planet.

Revan was worried that Mission would seem out of place here, but thankfully there were quite a few Twi'Leks lurking around. Near the bar one of the Twi'Leks seemed to be making some sort of commotion. Revan and the other two could hear him shouting out random nonsense. A crowd had gathered around him, amused by the spectacle. Behind the bar another female Twi'Lek was yelling at him to stop, at which he turned around had started yelling at her.

"I can do whatever I want!" he shouted. "I don't have to take ordersh from you or anybody elshe! I don't fear you or any bantha! I'm the toughest fish on Manaan!"

"He's definitely gone," Atton muttered behind Revan's back.

Revan pushed his way through the crowd to get a better look at what was happening, with Mission and Atton following close behind. The yelling Twi'lek raised his arms as if he was about to say something else, but instead fell over and passed out on the floor. With the show over, the crowd dispersed and went back to their business.

A third, green Twi'lek walked over to the passed-out barfly looking quite distressed.

"Oh dear! This is the third time in two weeks he has done this! Oh Borna, could you please move him out of here? The guests are going to trip over him if he stays here."

Looking quite annoyed, the female Twi'Lek walked out from behind the bar, stooped over the unconscious drunk, and slowly dragged him out.

"Uh, thank you!" the green male Twi'lek shouted after her. The female merely grumbled in response as she lugged the drunk away.

The green Twi'Lek turned to Revan. "Can you believe that? He does this all the time! He's almost become a sideshow for my customers!"

"Are you the owner of this place?" Revan asked him.

"Yes, I am. The name is Lupo. Lupo Shar! I run this place. I also had this bar installed a while back but I'm beginning to think it was a bad idea." Lupo cocked his head to look behind Revan and noticed Atton. "Atton! Nice to see you around here! I thought you were arrested-"

"Shh!" Atton cut him off.

"Oops! Sorry. I guess the Exchange wouldn't want to hear it, would they." He turned back to Revan. "I don't know your name. Are you a friend of Atton?"

"My name is Corto," Revan told him. "Yeah, Atton and I ran into each other a while back."

"And who might I ask is this young lady?" Lupo asked, referring to Mission.

"She's just a servant. Not exactly the most obedient, but very useful."

"Ah," was all Lupo said in response, not wanting to press the point. "Do you swoop, or do you just like to watch?"

"I've swooped a little before," Revan answered.

"Oh really? Were you any good?" Lupo asked eagerly.

"Well, a little," Revan answered almost nonchalantly. He decided to leave out the part about him being the swoop champion of Taris, Tatooine, and Manaan.

"Oh wonderful! Would you buy chance be interested in racing? I sure could use racers here."

"Maybe you'd draw more racers if you didn't have an unbeatable contestant," Atton said scathingly.

"Oh, the droid?" Lupo said, embarrassed. "That droid is, um…necessary. But that's beside the point!"

Revan actually found himself thinking about racing the track. He had taken a particular liking to Swoop racing on his first search for the Star Forge. His ego also didn't really like the idea of being bested by the droid. But there were more important things to be doing right now.

"Thanks, but not at this moment," Revan told him.

"Oh, okay. That's fine," Lupo replied, looking a little crestfallen. He perked up and immediately changed the subject. "So, Atton, what are you doing back on Nar-Shadaa? I would have thought you would have avoided this place."

"Yeah well, some things have come up," he mumbled in response.

"I see. It's just that with Visquis placing a price on your head and all, I thought-"

"WHAT?" Atton interrupted him. "What do you mean he put a price on my head?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" Lupo said, shocked. "He set a reward for your capture not to long ago. You getting caught and the fuel supply not being delivered didn't make him to happy. Of course, with bounty hunters crawling all over this place, I'm a little surprised nobody's-"

"I can't believe this!" Atton cut him off again. "That slime Visquis! And here I thought even he wouldn't sink this low!"

"Looks like you're more popular here than you thought," Revan teased.

"This isn't funny, R-, uh, Corto," he replied, almost yelling Revan's name. He leaned closer to whisper in Atton's ear. "I'll bet at least a third of the people in this joint are bounty hunters. If what he says is true, then we'll have a horde of these guys after us in no time. Especially since _someone_ just shouted my name out loud." Atton directed the last sentence at Lupo, who looked away nervously. Revan came to realize Lupo wasn't too bright.

Revan sighed. Completing their task with an army of bounty hunters chasing them would not help their plans in any way whatsoever. Just then, an idea came to him.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Lupo," Revan said to the Twi'Lek. "But we really should be going now."

"Okay. Well, so long. Come back soon," he waved. "Eh, hopefully," he said quietly.

The three of them turned around and left. Revan could already feel the gaze of dozens of eyes following them as they walked out. Bounty hunters, indeed. Revan exitted the building with Atton and Mission following close behind.

"So what are we gonna do now, fearless leader?" Mission asked him.

"Yeah, do tell," Atton added with his arms folded.

"Relax, guys. If we play our cards right, we'll get into the Exchange in no time," Revan assured them.

"Yeah, while being dragged in by bounty hunters," Atton muttered.

"Exactly."

"Huh?"

"Don't you remember, Atton? We already have four bounty hunters of our own to catch us."

Atton looked confused for a second, but a sly grin quickly formed on his face. "Oh yeah. So, what do you have in mind?"

"First, let's get out of here," Revan motioned. He could feel they were being watched.

While they were heading away, Revan resumed. "The way I see it, Visquis is offering a prize for your head, so bounty hunters are coming after you. That's our ticket into the Exchange. If we get ourselves caught, we'll be on the inside in no time. And the way I see it, what better bounty hunters to be caught by than our own friends?"

"So basically, we're going to fake getting caught, right?" Mission guessed.

"Yes. I'm going to discuss the plan with Quaid. But we're going to have to do this quickly, and it _has_ to look real. We can't have them suspecting something, or we'll be sunk." He broke into a run as they headed for the shuttle stop. _"Hold on, Bastila."

* * *

_

I know! A cliffhanger! Sorry about that. The next chapter we'll come out much sooner, I promise. As of right now, chapters we'll be coming out on a much more frequent basis, so no more waiting for months for a single measly chapter. Yay. Oh, and the whole "follow the gizka" thing was inspired by "follow the white rabbit" for those of you who have seen The Matrix. A little forced, I know. Anyway, thanks for reading, and as usual, drop a review in. So long.


	20. Chapter 19: Inside

Anther chapter! This fic is already a lot longer than I thought it'd be. Since it's so long, here's a quick summary of what's happening at the beginning of this chapter:

Revan, Atton, and Mission were exploring the planet to find more hints of the Exchange. They hope to find out where the Sith are hiding so they can find the bizarre "creature" they ran into on Dantooine and hopefully save Bastila's life. They found out Atton was being hunted, and so Revan came up with a plan: have Quaid, Visas, Yuthura, and HK-47, who are posing as bounty hunters themselves, pretend to catch them in order to get into the Exchange. The trio is headed for a shuttle in order to get back to the Ebon Hawk so they can discuss the plans. Unfortunately, they're about to encounter some obstacles along the way.

* * *

**Chapter 19: Inside**

Revan, Atton, and Mission, stood by the shuttle stop as they waited for it to arrive. Revan was starting to wish they had a landspeeder with them.

"Atton, I'll contact the others while we're waiting," he uttered as he reached for his communicator. He found it just when an unfamiliar voice.

"I sure hope you aren't planning on leaving just yet," a voice hissed from behind them.

The trio turned to behold a group of four menacing-looking thugs eyeing them threateningly. Two of them were Rodians, one was a Gammorean, and the fourth was a reptilian Trandoshan, the one who had just spoken to them.

"Atton, our old friend," one of the Rodians spoke. "We're so glad you chose to come back. Visquis is especially happy to see you. Maybe you'd like to pay him a visit?"

"_This is going to get ugly real fast,"_ Revan thought.

"Are you guys with the Exchange?" Atton growled.

"Why yes!" the Rodian answered him. "And I see you brought friends with you. Very touching. You know, Visquis sent us to look for you. Half the bounty hunters on this planet are also probably after you. Although Visquis wishes to tell you that if you come with us quietly, you can be spared the humiliation of having to be dragged in by a bounty hunter. Or you could resist and have to be taken in by force. The choice is yours."

Atton paused for a moment. "Tell Visquis he can go to hell," he finally snapped.

"_Yup, I was right,"_ Revan thought again.

The Rodian sighed. "I see you choose the latter option. And now your friends will have to be dragged in, too. Well, don't say we didn't warn you." The group raised their weapons.

Revan had almost grabbed for his lightsaber, but stopped himself just in time. _"I'm not supposed to be a Jedi," _he remembered. With lightning reflexes, Revan grabbed his blaster and was the first to fire a shot. In a red burst, the Trandoshan went down, leaving the two Rodians and the pig-like Gammorean.

The two Rodians raised their blaster rifles and fired off a hail of red flashes at the trio. Revan and Atton leapt out of the way just in time, and Mission ducked behind a wall. Atton pulled out his blaster and fired at the large Gammorean who was charging them with his large axe. The shot hit home, but the Gammorean merely shrugged it off and charged Atton again.

"Oh crap," was all Atton had time to say before dodging a mad swipe from the Gammorean's axe. Meanwhile, Revan dodged another volley of blasts from the two Rodians. He could have taken them both out easily but using the force was too risky. But he'd gotten by without it before, he could do it again.

The Jedi raised his blaster and fired another shot, only this narrowly missing the Rodian's head by an inch. At the same time, Atton dodged another blow from the Gammorean. He aimed his blaster to fire again, but the Gammorean knocked it out of his hands with a sharp elbow to the arm. This Gammorean was surprisingly quick. Unarmed, Atton could only duck again as he tried to spot where his blaster had landed.

Revan had taken the opportunity to activate his energy shield. He only hoped they weren't using disrupter rifles. Momentarily protected from the blasters, he fired again and this time hit one of the Rodians square in the chest. The other one, however, had used the time to throw a flash grenade. Before Revan could cover his eyes, the thing detonated in front of him. His entire world went white.

Atton spotted his blaster but the Gammorean had reacted first. The large alien sent a hard punch into Atton's gut, knocking him over. "Damn," Revan muttered out loud when he heard Atton fall over. The Rodian laughed and fired at him. The shots hit his shield and Revan could feel it starting to fade. He was indeed using a disrupter rifle. _"Just my luck,"_ he thought. His thoughts raced on what to do next. A loud explosion cut his thoughts short.

Revan heard bodies fall to the ground, and everything went silent. His vision just then started to kick back in. When he could finally see clearly, he beheld the Rodian and the Gammorean lying dead. Atton was still doubled over, but had managed to catch his breath.

"What hap-"Revan began. He paused and turned to see Mission standing off to his left, wearing an innocent face. She pointed over to the corpses.

"Oh, sorry about that. I forgot where I put the grenade. I'll remember to keep them on my belt next time," she said casually.

Revan couldn't stop a massive grin from spreading on his face. He walked over to the young Twi'Lek gave her a playful hug.

"Touching," Atton said sarcastically as he got up.

"Well, it won't be long before even more come after us. We'd better hurry up and get back to the Ebon Hawk," Revan advised. Just then, the shuttle they were waiting for arrived and landed next to them. When the door slid open, the first thing the pilot saw was the trio standing over a mass of dead bodies.

"Hi. We'd like to go to the docking sector," Atton said casually. The pilot complied without question.

* * *

A quick ride later, the trio departed the shuttle and headed toward the Ebon Hawk. "So Atton, tell me," Revan said as they moved along, "where would a bounty hunter go to collect his pay?"

"There's a place near the refugee sector the Exchange uses as a hideout and a front. A lot of thugs go there to meet, but it's also a favorite for bounty hunters. I think there's our best bet."

"Good. We'll try there. But first we gotta contact the others." Quaid, Visas, Yuthura and HK had already left the Hawk a while ago. Revan hadn't heard back from them since.

Once back inside the ship, Revan dashed for the cockpit and sent out a transmission.

"Yes?" Quaid's voice answered.

"Quaid, where are you?" Revan asked.

"We're near the refugee sector."

"Okay. Look, get somewhere where nobody can hear you, fast."

"What? Revan, what's going on?"

"Just do it. I'll explain in a minute."

"Alright." A few moments later, Quaid's voice came back on the intercom. "Alright, Revan. What's going on?"

"Listen, I've got a plan to get into the Exchange. But we'll need your help for it. And I hope you guys are good actors."

"What? What plan?" Quaid asked impatiently.

"Alright. Look, we found today that Visquis has put a bounty on Atton's head. If we don't do something fast, we'll have bounty hunters knocking on our door at any time."

"So what's your plan?"

"You guys are going to help us out. From what I gather, you've already made convincing bounty hunters. We might be able to use you to get us into the Exchange," Revan explained.

"Wait, do you mean you want us to capture _you_?"

"Exactly. I need you four to pretend to capture us and turn us into the Exchange. If do this right, it might work."

"Revan, are you sure about this?" Yuthura's voice asked him. "This could be really dangerous."

"It wouldn't be the first time, would it? I know it's risky, but it's the best thing we've got right now. It's our only chance. There's too much at stake here for us to let this thing slip through our grasp."

The radio went silent for a minute, and then Quaid's voice came back on. "Alright, Revan. What do you want us to do?"

* * *

Much later, Revan, Atton, and Mission walked along another of Nar-Shadaa's many dark, barren streets. Revan looked around and wondered if the sun ever shown on this force-forsaken planet. All looked calm enough, but Revan was about to play one of his biggest gambles yet on this mission.

"How long is this going to take?" Mission whispered to Revan.

"Just be patient," he whispered back. "We need witnesses. But be on your guard."

There already were people littering the street, but Revan was hoping for a little more. A few minutes later, a quick jump in his force-sense confirmed his hopes.

"Hello, Atton," a masked voice said from behind. The group beheld a group of thugs wearing body armor. One of them Revan sensed was a Mandalorian. "Visquis will definitely pay a nice sum for your head." Unlike the first group of bounty hunters they met, this group didn't wait to start shooting. The trio of hunters raised their large blaster rifles.

Revan, Mission, and Atton responded by diving out of the path and behind cover. Mission and Atton took refuge behind a wall, while Revan hid behind an idle speeder. Grabbing his blaster, he rose from behind the speeder and fired at the group of thugs. A wave of blaster bolts came at him in response, one which missed him by mere inches. Meanwhile, Atton and Mission were holding off the trio of thugs as well. Revan sensed the bystanders were now watching the spectacle.

Out of nowhere, a grenade landed near the center of the group of bounty hunters. The three barely noticed it before it detonated right underneath them. Revan briefly smirked in satisfaction. They were here.

Atton and Mission stood to see what had happened. The trio of armored thugs lay dead, and in their place stood two figures. One of them was a small, crimson-robed Miraluka holding two blasters. Visas. The other figure was a darkly-clad male figure with a large vibrosword in one hand and a grenade in the other. A large mask with a yellow visor concealed his face.

"Thanks for that. You guys just saved our lives," said to the pair.

The male figure laughed in response. "Save you?" he hissed in Quaid's voice. "No. We were merely saving the bounty we've been meaning to collect for ourselves."

"In that case, prepare to be disappointed," Revan replied. He raised his blaster again and prepared to fire. Visas had reacted first and fired a crimson bolt at Revan. Instead of missing him, as he'd expected, Visas shot his blaster clean out of his hand. Revan watched in genuine shock as the blaster sailed away. He didn't realize she was that good of a shot. Now he understood why she was Nihilus' top assassin. The fact that she was blind made it even more remarkable.

"Nice try," she said slyly. Quaid in turn came at Revan with his vibrosword. In response, Mission and Atton fired a volley at Quaid, which he dodged by rolling across the pathway and behind a large dumpster.

Revan braced himself as he prepared for what he knew would happen to him next. A second later, something was jabbed into his back and his body shuddered violently before going numb. A quick pair of hands grabbed him and pulled him close. He found himself being held tightly by Yuthura, who was also holding a vibroblade across his throat. In her other hand she held a bothan stunner, which she had just used on Revan.

"STOP!" she ordered. Mission and Atton ceased firing. Their attention shifted to Revan who was being "held hostage" by Yuthura. "Step away from the wall," Yuthura ordered them. Mission and Atton hesitantly complied, but kept their blasters aimed at Yuthura.

"Condescending Command: Drop your weapons, you talent-less organic meatbags! You have fifteen seconds to comply," HK's mechanical voice sneered at them. The red droid stood behind the group with his blaster rifle leveled at Mission and Atton. After a moment of thinking, the two hesitantly dropped their weapons.

"We owe you for that," Quaid said to Yuthura as he approached. He glared at Revan from behind his mask. "So, which one of you is Atton?" he asked.

"I am," Atton responded.

Quaid turned to him. "You'll fetch a nice sum for us. Visquis might be interested in your two friends as well."

On cue, Visas approached from behind at jabbed a stunner into Atton, and then did the same to Visas. The two fell to the ground, limp.

"Bind them," Quaid ordered. Within moments, Atton, Mission, and Revan were bound and dragged away from the scene.

As they were being dragged away, Revan whispered to Quaid. "Were there a lot of witnesses?" he asked him silently.

"Yes," Quaid whispered back. The group came to a landspeeder parked alongside the path. "Revan, I can't thank you enough for keeping a landspeeder in your ship."

"Don't mention it," Revan said back silently.

Revan, Atton, and Mission were thrown into the back seat. The other four climbed in and the landspeeder took off. "Good job, guys," Revan said from the backseat. "Real bounty hunters couldn't have done it better."

"Alright, Atton. So where we do we go to turn you in?" Quaid asked him from the pilot's seat.

* * *

The landspeeder stopped at a rather large, dark building near the refugee sector. The four piled out of the landspeeder, then pulled out the bound trio from the back. Quaid observed the building by which they stood.

"Visquis lives here? This place is a dump."

"He doesn't live here. This is just a place from which he conducts business," Atton corrected him.

Yuthura picked Mission up and dragged her along the ground. "OW! Not so hard!" Mission protested.

"Sorry, it has to look real," the purple Twi'lek responded.

They walked around back and saw two Gammorean thugs guarding a small door. The two of them saw the group approaching and became aggressive.

"Stop! You no come in here! You not enter unless you have authorization," the one guard grunted.

"Authorization?" Quaid mused. "Okay. I'll show you my authorization." He picked Atton up for the guards to see his face clearly.

The guards guffawed at the sight. "Atton!" the other one laughed. "So nice to see you! Okay, you enter. Bring them to Visquis. Grumnog will take you to him." He stepped aside and opened up the door. One by one, they entered the building.

The inside was a small room, with a desk on one side. It had almost an office look to it. Behind the desk was a green Twi'lek. Another large Gammorean stood beside the desk.

"Who are these?" the Twi'lek demanded.

"These bounty hunters. They have Atton and want to take him to Visquis," one of the guards told him.

"Ah, okay. Grumnog, please escort them." The large alien snorted in response. He waved his hand for the others to follow them down a hall. They twisted and turned through the arched corridors until they came to a set of large doors. Revan could hear the sound of voices and music coming from behind.

Two guards in body armor opened the doors upon seeing them approach. Inside the room was a bizarre spectacle. The room was large and dimly lit. All around them were aliens of all sorts. Twi'leks, Rodians, Trandoshans, Gands, and various other kinds stood around the room. Some stood in groups talking, others were sitting around, and some of them were obviously drunk. Near the corner a Bith band played, and in the back at the center of the wall was an alien Atton instantly recognized as Visquis.

When they entered, many of the thugs stopped and stared as they approached Visquis. Visquis, a bizarre alien with tentacles coming out of his face, didn't notice them until one of his servants called them to his attention. Upon seeing them, he stood up from his chair and greeted them in mock-cordiality.

"Why hello, my friends! And hello, Atton! I've been expecting you. Ah, what have we here? And may I ask who you are?" He directed this last statement at the four who were posing as bounty hunters.

"We are just citizens trying to make a living," Quaid answered innocently.

"Well, word of your capture reached me before you arrive. I admit I'm very impressed from the way you executed it. Though I hear you also did away with some other hunters as well."

"They were in our way. And let's say this was too easy of a catch to let someone else have it." Yuthura added.

Visquis laughed. "I see. Though I hear they're not so easy, they had already killed a group that had tried to catch them earlier. But it's no matter. You were the one who brought him to me, you get the payment. And who are they?" he asked, pointing to Revan and Mission.

"We don't know. But we found them with Atton," Quaid told him. "Should we just let them go?"

"No," Visquis waved his hand. "They are probably friends of Atton. But I want to keep them here just in case. They probably know a lot about us by now, if Atton's as talkative as he was before."

Atton sneered at him. "And I see you're still the same ugly pile of slime you were. Though I admit, I kind of like you before you put a price on my head."

"Now Atton, don't talk that way! You know we needed that fuel, and more importantly we needed you to not get caught. And yet, you failed us on both terms. Now what if every mercenary who worked for me thought he could lapse into mediocrity? What kind of example would that set? And as for the price on your head, you know I needed you back here as soon as possible, especially since you probably wouldn't have come back to me on your own."

"With a face like yours, I'm surprised anybody ever comes back to you," Atton snapped.

"Ha! What a sense of humor you've got. If your brain was as quick as your mouth, maybe you wouldn't have gotten caught. But it's of no matter. You're stuck here, and believe me, I have plans for you." The alien waved to a pair of Rodian guards. "Take Atton away and lock him up." The two came forward and made a grab for him.

Atton instinctively struggled and tried to break free, but was unable to do much of anything the way he was bound. He shouted as he was being dragged away. "You're going to regret this, Visquis!" The Exchange boss merely laughed as Atton shouted at him. With Atton gone, he turned his attention to the rest.

"You two! Take them away," he commanded, referring to Mission and Atton. "Make sure they're in separate cells." Two more guards, a Trandoshan and a Twi'lek, grabbed them and started dragging them off.

"Wait! You can't do this!" Mission shouted in protest. Visquis said nothing, but instead seemed to ignore her. "You ugly tentacle-faced piece of bantha poodoo!" she screamed. "I swear, when I get my hands on you, I'll sock you so hard, you'll be looking backwards the rest of your life! Let me go!" She kicked and screamed as she was being dragged away, prompting several thugs to laugh at her. Meanwhile, Revan tried to remain calm as he went over the plans in his head.

"Such a feisty one," Visquis remarked when they were gone. Now, only Quaid, Yuthura, Visas, and HK stood before him. "You four did well! You definitely make an unusual group, if you don't mind me saying. You don't work for me, do you?"

"We get that sometimes," Quaid answered him. "And no, we don't. Now, there is the matter of credits."

"Ah yes! Well, as there are four of you, err, _three_…" HK-47 had no use for credits. "You'll have to divide it amongst yourselves. 40,000 credits."

"45,000," Yuthura demanded. "At least then we can divide it by three."

"Alright, fine! But that's it! Now, are we done with this conversation?"

"Not yet," Visas interjected. "We still have something to ask of you."

"Yes. You see Visquis, it's been rather hard for us to come by credits recently. We were wondering if perhaps you were looking for new help around here. We wouldn't mind becoming employees of the Exchange itself. We assure you, we'd be of great help. And we'd get the job done," Quaid added.

"Bah! You wouldn't be the first to come to me. But I admit, you seem capable enough. Your droid here looks rather impressive."

"Boastful reply: Indeed! I am also highly equipped for all forms of meatbag extermination. But I have to say, you meatbags are rather messy when you expire! Why, all the fluids and parts just seem to get everywhere once you're cut open! Why, I remember this one meatbag had this purple fluid that just-"

"And I see it has personality as well! Anyway, as I was saying, I have my hands full with those blasted refugees. They're starting to become less cooperative. Not to mention all these small gangs on this planet making trouble for the Exchange. Tell you what, you stay with us, and we'll see about hiring you. In the meantime, think of your little stay here as an extra bonus for such a great capture. I'll have someone escort you to some rooms, unless you'd rather stay here a bit. The stolen juma juice we obtained is quite nice."

"No, thank you," Quaid declined.

"Very well. In that case, we'll be able to talk tomorrow. Farewell."

"One last thing, Visquis," Quaid asked before he left.

"_What?_" the gangster asked, now sounding slightly annoyed.

"Just what do you plan on doing with Atton?"

The alien laughed. "HA! You'll see. But let me just say, I've been looking something to add to my carbonite collection for some time. Farewell."

Quaid gulped behind his mask. As they were lead away, a sense of both victory and fear gripped him. They had gotten inside, in fact way more easily than he'd expected. But now they were going to freeze Atton in carbonite. They had to work fast, or else. They had to find that creature soon.

"_Revan, I hope you know what you're doing_," he thought to himself as he and the others left the room.

* * *

Meanwhile, Revan was beinglead to his cell by the Trandoshan. Periodically, he would jab and push Revan either to get him moving faster or just for the fun of it. They came to a row of cells Revan couldn't see Atton or Mission in any of them. The thug pushed Revan again to get him moving along. He directed him to a cell near a corner and shoved him in.

"Watch it!" Revan snapped angrily.

"Silence," the reptilian thug hissed. "You just stay there, friend of Atton. Visquis will decide what to do with you."

"This is ridiculous! Why are you keeping me here? Visquis wanted Atton, not me!"

"I said silence. Play your cards right, and you might get out of here alive." The creature turned away, and as he turned, Revan noticed something on his jacket's right sleeve. Embroidered on the shoulder of his jacket, Revan saw a familiar image. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was a picture of an innocent-looking gizka.

"_Follow the gizka_." Bastila's words echoed in Revan's mind. That bizarre statement now rang over and over in Revan's mind. This had to have been what she meant. He knew it.

"What are you staring at?" the creature hissed angrily.

Revan snapped out of his trance. "Uh, nothing." The thug hissed again and left the room. Revan leaned against the wall of his cell, a thousand thoughts racing through his head. They had gotten in. Even better, he had stumbled upon Bastila's clue. He could only hope Quaid and the others were having luck in their task. As for Mission, Revan could only pray that she would come through on her part of the plan. It was a gamble, but he had faith in Mission. She had done it before.

In the meantime, he decided to get some sleep. He leaned against the hard wall of his cell. He had a strange suspicion that somewhere else in the building, the creature was being held as well.

* * *

Done! See, I can get chapters done faster now! Anyway, some of you may be confused on just what Revan's plans are exactly. Don't worry, it'll be explained. However, since I haven't updated my other fic for a while, I need to update that first. Thanks for reading. Adios. 


	21. Chapter 20: Betrayal

Another chapter! BTW, look for a scene in here that was inspired by Episode III…I'm sure you'll find it easily. BTW, for some reason the document manager won't let me upload Word documents to my profile, so after almost a week of not being able to update, I finally was able to upload a document through Notepad. Has anyone else had this problem? Anyway, enjoy. 

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Betrayal**

The reptilian Trandoshan slinked through the halls of the Exchange building. It was on its way back to Visquis's throne room when its communicator beeped.

"Yes?" it answered. A cold, inhuman voice answered on the other end.

"Are our operations going well?" it asked.

"Yes, Lord Sion! Visquis is making all your preparations ready. You'll be able to leave this planet soon enough."

"Good. Make sure that everything's in order. Oh, and check up to make sure our ' is being thoroughly watched. I don't trust that thing by itself, even in a cell."

"Yes, Lord Sion!" the communicator went silent and he hung up.

* * *

"Let me go, you nerf-herder!" Mission screamed at the guard. "Ow! That hurts!"

The guard opened the door to her cell and angrily shoved her in. "If you want to get out of here alive, you'd better learn to keep your mouth shut."

"Yeah, and with breath like that, I'd keep my mouth shut if I were you, too." She made a mad dash to escape from her cell. The guard grabbed her and, after a brief struggle, shoved her back into the cell.

The Twi'lek guard sneered and walked up to her. "That's funny. Trust me, just because you're young doesn't mean we won't dispose of you if you prove to be too much trouble."

Mission merely rolled her eyes. "Fine. Just go away. You smell like you've bathed in bantha sweat, or something."

The guard glared at her and pointed a blaster pistol at her head. "One more time. I dare you to open your mouth one more time. If you're feeling lucky today, go ahead."

Mission said nothing.

"Smart." The guard backed away, keeping the blaster leveled at Mission, and activated the cell's energy door. "If you value your life, I'd keep quiet. And believe me, Visquis nor the others would care less if I 'accidentally' sent a blaster bolt through your skull." He blew a mocking kiss and walked away, laughing.

Mission glared at him angrily as he left. When she was sure he was gone, she laughed to herself. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a keycard. "But I'm sure Visquis _would _care if you 'accidentally' lost your keycard to the prison cell. Sheesh. That was almost too easy. Something tells me the Exchange doesn't hire you guys for brains."

Even more stupidly, the guard hadn't fully searched her, and so didn't discover the small stealth device she implanted into her belt. She slid the keycard through the panel and the cell's door faded away. She looked around to make sure the coast was clear, stepped outside, and disappeared into thin air.

* * *

The Trandoshan opened the door to the containment room. He took a look inside the room and found the creature glaring at him from within its cell, eyes burning red with anger. There were few things that actually scared him, and this creature was one of them. Didn't it ever sleep? He wished someone else had been charged with keeping an eye on it.

"Release me." It hissed.

"All in good time. The sooner the Sith get here the sooner you'll be out of here. Just behave yourself until then, whatever you are." He turned away to exit the room. When the door slid shut, he spoke to the two Sith guards standing next to him. "Keep that thing under close watch at all times. Sion does not want it to escape."

The two nodded in response. The Trandoshan was not actually an Exchange member, but a Sith posing as one. He had been assigned by Sion to keep watch out for 'suspicious activity' that might jeopardize their mission.

Back in its cell, the creature slid back against the wall of its containment prison. Its eyes faded back to blue as it stared blankly at the wall. It hated the place. It had escaped from its first prison only to be put in another one. Worse, if the Sith used him, nothing would be able to stop them from taking over the galaxy. That was the one thing he remembered his father teaching him - that the Sith and the darkside were always in search of power and would stop at nothing to get it.

As it stared a jolt ran through its body. Something in its force-sense spiked. It struggled to reach out with its mind. The cell it was in had some sort of force-restraint field around it, and it had hampered its ability to sense things. But it could feel something. Something close by…

Revan! He was here! A spark of hope ignited within its body. Maybe he would be able to get it out of here and away from the Sith. It focused and tried to contact Revan with its mind, but it was unable. Instead, he sent Revan a quick image - one like the one he had sent on Dantooine - and hoped he would be able to receive it.

In his cell, Revan jumped unexpectedly. He felt a bolt run through his body. His mind flashed with a brief image - one that he had seen before, of two huge, blue eyes. There was no mistaking it now, the creature was here, and it knew Revan was here, too. He crossed his fingers and hoped Mission would come through with her part of the plan.

* * *

The next day, Quaid was being led around by one of Visquis' personal guards. Quaid had requested a tour of the building and was obliged. Just to be safe, though, Quaid decided to keep his mask on.

"And here it is!" the Rodian guard waved with his hand. "Visquis's fleet! One of the best-kept personal fleets on this side of the galaxy, it is. It's one of the reasons Visquis was able to keep his hold on this planet for so long. It's hard to be beaten when you have control of the skies.

They were in a vast, underground hangar. The floor was lined with various ships ranging from small fighters to large freighters. "I'm impressed," Quaid replied. "Just out of curiosity, how was he able to build up a fleet like this?"

The Rodian snickered. "Oh, let's just say he has a lot of connections, and has formed some very helpful partnerships. Diplomacy is half the key to being a successful gangster, you know."

"Right."

"You've made the right decision in working for Visquis. The Exchange could always use more helpers. And we pay very well. Just don't make the mistake of thinking you can cross us. Many have, and it's been the last thing they've done."

"I'm sure. So, what does this fleet do, exactly?"

"This fleet keeps the Exchange's supremacy secure. We have more than enough freighters to ship our cargo, and enough fighters to keep an edge over the other gangs on this planet. We have a vast radar grid set up, you see. We can keep track over our rivals, and any ship that attempts to leave this planet we can find and shoot down."

"Like Vogga? I've heard he's having trouble getting his shipments off the planet."

The Rodian laughed again. "Indeed! And we'll make sure it stays that way." As he finished talking, a set of huge doors near the front of the hangar opened and a small fighter came in and docked.

"I have another question," Quaid asked the guard. "Where do you keep your prisoners?"

"In the prison bay, of course. As for where that is, well, I'm afraid that's not for you to know. You don't need to know, anyway. And unless you do something the Exchange doesn't like, you probably won't need to know. Okay?"

"Um, okay."

"Good! Follow me."

* * *

Mission, invisible, slinked through the halls as quietly as she could. She had to find out where Revan was being held. More importantly, she had to do it soon before Visquis could do whatever horrible fate he had in store for Atton. She was now trailing to Exchange guards - a human in armor and a Twi'lek. Hopefully, one of them would lead her to the security room. She was listening closely to their conversation to see if she could pick up any valuable information.

"There will be a new shipment of recruits leaving today," the armored human spoke.

Recruits? What recruits? Mission remembered all the talk she heard before about the Exchange hiring a lot of mercenaries and recruits for some unknown reason.

"The Sith will also be sending a ship to pick up Sion and his 'artifact'. Visquis wants everything to go smoothly."

Mission held back a gasp to avoid blowing her cover.

"What exactly is this artifact anyway? There's been all this talk about it and I haven't even seen it!" the male Twi'lek asked.

"I don't know, either. But it's supposed to be very important, and nobody except a few is allowed to see it. Sion doesn't want to risk it being hurt or released."

Suddenly the human's communicator beeped, and he picked it up to listen. A few seconds later he cursed and hung up.

"What? What's wrong?" the Twi'lek asked him.

"We have a breakout! One of the prisoners we arrested last night escaped."

"Which one?"

"That annoying young girl Twi'lek. She's now loose somewhere in the building. Visquis wants her found. Quick, you'd better go to the security room and try to spot her with the cameras. Hurry."

"Bingo." Mission whispered to herself.

"Yes!" the Twi'lek complied and ran back in Mission's direction. With expert stealth, she followed him until they came to a small room lined with computers and screens. Mission slipped in right before the door shut behind her. The Twi'lek sat down and scrolled through the cameras. When he saw Mission's cell was empty he cursed and looked through the other cells. While he was searching, Mission caught glimpse of both Atton and Revan in their cells. Mission shifted nervously, trying not to be heard. If he didn't leave soon, she'd have to take him out.

She paused and waited. After a while, she heard the guard make a sound that sounded like a surprised grunt.

"Let's see what infrared will get." He pressed a button and the camera screens shifted from normal mode to infrared vision. Mission gasped, knowing that if he happened to look at this room she could be seen.

"_Damn_!" she thought to herself, realizing what she had just done. She quickly closed her hands over her mouth. The Twi'lek must have heard her gasp, because he stopped and looked behind him.

"What was that? Is anyone there?" He stopped and went back the consol. Mission watched and saw an image of the room they were in come up on screen. The guard gasped when he saw a heat outline of Mission standing close behind him.

He got up, but with lightning reflexes Mission caught hold of him. She wrapped one arm around his neck, and, using a move that Revan had taught her, choked him so tight he passed out. She breathed a quick sigh of relief and dragged his body to a corner in the room and swiped his datapad. With little time to spare, she went to work on slicing into the computer. After searching, she managed to locate both Revan and Atton's cells. After inserting the guard's datapad into the console, she downloaded the locations as well as a map of the entire level.

Mission decided to do some more searching and downloaded the maps of additional levels as well. While she was searching, she noticed that there was an underground level that wasn't named. With suspicion she called up its map and almost gasped again. She saw a map of a vast underground network. For what it was, she didn't know. But she saw things like barracks, weapons storage, and even droid shops. If this had anything to do with the Sith, she wouldn't be surprised. She downloaded that map as well. As a final touch, she disabled all the cameras for that level.

"All in a day's work!" she said to herself with satisfaction. She opened the doors, made sure the coast was clear, and dashed off to Revan's cell.

* * *

**Coruscant**

Master Kavar paced along the halls of the Jedi academy. There was a lot going on that was causing the Jedi Council worry. Their two most talented knights were now gone. Bastila was dying, and they had no idea what Revan was doing. The Sith had now been spotted on more planets along the outer rim and even a couple core worlds. They were getting bolder. Telos was now floundering, being deprived of its primary fuel source. And if that wasn't enough, Master Atris was acting very strangely. She was more reserved than ever, and seemed to be nervous all the time.

Kavar didn't like it. In fact, he had a nagging suspicion that Kreia - the former master they were giving asylum too - had something to do with it. In fact, right now he was going to find Kreia and confront her to see if she knew anything about it. He didn't trust her when she came back, and he didn't trust her now.

He neared Kreia's room, masking his presence in the force as best as he could. An idea occurred to him. He leaned up against the door. It was soundproof, but Kavar knew a way around it. He reached out with the force and focused. He reached through the walls and into the room with his senses. He focused. At first, Kavar heard nothing, which is what he was hoping for. But he quickly heard Kreia's voice speak up. She was talking to someone!

"Yes, I have. Do not worry. Atris has already fallen enough. She'll be of great help to us in no time, whether she knows it or not."

_"You don't want to test my patience, Darth Traya,"_ a strange voice answered her.

Kavar's heart leapt. What kind of voice was that? It was unlike anything he had ever heard. It didn't sound remotely human, and it made his stomach twist just hearing it. There was no way the being to which that voice belonged was good. And it had referred to Kreia as Darth Traya. This was quickly becoming worse than he could have believed.

_"I sent you on a task because I knew you would not fail me. Do not make me regret that decision."_

"I will not fail you, Master," Kreia replied. She spoke the last word with a hint of contempt in her voice.

_"Good. When we attack, you must make sure the Republic and the Jedi fight back. Sion will soon be returning the artifact to me. Make sure you fulfill your end of the plan."_

"I will."

_"Make sure of it. And if you ever think of crossing me, Traya, just remember that there are fates worse than death. Sion learned that. Don't make me do the same to you."_

The room then went silent. Kreia glared angrily. She hated him. Oh, how she hated him…if he could still be called that. When she stood up she felt her senses jump. Someone was in the room with her. She spun around and saw Kavar there, pointing his blue lightsaber at her, with a look of pure anger on his face.

"I never thought the truth would be this terrible," he said with a hint of regret in his voice.

"So you know, eh? You Jedi brought this on yourselves. You with all your arrogance and stagnation…"

"What? Kreia, you've aligned yourself with the Sith! You've betrayed us! And now you've placed the entire Republic in jeopardy!"

"The Republic is weak, Kavar. The Jedi are weak. They would have died off in time. You know that."

"No! The Jedi have been around for many millennia. It will take more than your betrayal to end us."

She laughed. "Trust me, there is more at work here than my betrayal."

"You've corrupted Atris, haven't you?"

"Atris made the choice herself. She is only doing what she wanted to do."

"Enough! This ends. Surrender now, Kreia, and you'll live. Don't make any more blood be spilt."

She laughed again. "Ha ha ha! You fool." Like lightning she drew her lightsaber. Its crimson beam shot out and she leapt at Kavar, who blocked it just in time. Kreia/Traya struck at him furiously, but Kavar managed to parry every blow.

The two of them dueled in place, Kreia remaining on the offensive. She aimed a slash at his throat which Kavar dodged and struck back. Kavar soon got the upper hand, and went on the offensive. He now struck at Kreia and she started backing up as she defended herself.

Kreia fought back ferociously, but it was hopeless. Kavar was the best lightsaber duelist in the council, and had the upper hand. Finally, she was almost backed up to the wall. Kavar brought his lightsaber down, and in a few quick blows, knocked her red lightsaber out of her hand and kicked her against the wall. Kreia/Traya fell down to the floor and stared up at him with hatred.

Kavar pointed his lightsaber at her. As he did, Atris burst into the room with her own lightsaber ignited. She looked at the scene with bewilderment.

"Atris! You must help me! He's trying to kill me!" Kreia pleaded.

"Don't listen to her! She's a Sith!" Kavar shot back.

"Kavar, let her go!" Atris said as she approached him.

"No! She's betrayed our order!

"He's insane, Atris! Help me! He tried to kill me while I was helpless!"

"You lie! Don't listen to her, Atris. It's over, Kreia. You're finished."

Kreia cackled. "No, no, no! It's you who are finished!" She sent a strong bolt of force-lightning at Kavar, who managed to block it just in time. He struggled with all his might, trying to keep the lightning away.

"Don't listen to her, Atris!" he pleaded while he tried to keep the lightning away. "She's been using you!"

Atris paused. She looked from Kavar then to Kreia. Kreia tried to get her lightning through, but it proved too much, and she collapsed on the ground by exhaustion.

"It's finished Kreia."

"NO!" Atris screamed. In a blind panic she lashed out with her lightsaber, and doing so, cut off Kavar's lightsaber arm. The Jedi Master screamed in pain. Kreia, seizing the opportunity, sent another wave of lightning at Kavar. The bolt sent him crashing through the window and falling to the streets below.

Atris gasped and dropped her lightsaber. "What have I done…"

Kreia stood up and pulled her hood over her head. "You did the right thing. He was in a blind rage. He might have killed you, too if you hadn't interfered."

"What will we tell the others?"

"Why, the truth. He was attacking us and you unfortunately had to kill him to defend me. That is the truth, isn't it?"

Atris paused. She couldn't believe what she had just done. She had killed a fellow master with her own hands…

"Come now, Atris. You must get some rest. I'll tell the others what happened."

Atris still couldn't believe herself. What if Kavar was telling the truth? She hadn't even thought about it. Now, he was dead. There was no undoing that mistake.

"Why did he attack you?" Atris asked Kreia.

"He was in a rage. He thought I was working with the Sith, and tried to kill me while I was meditating."

Atris couldn't detect a lie in Kreia's voice. She wasn't sure of anything anymore, though. "I must rest." She left the room to go to her quarters.

"Please, do that. Do not worry," Kreia said from behind. "I'll tell them what happened. I'll take care of everything." She smiled wickedly as Atris left.

"_Everything_."

* * *

Hope that chapter was good! BTW, just to explain something, the Trandoshan that put Revan in his cell was a Sith, but wasn't with Sion on Dantooine, which is why he didn't recognize Revan when he saw him. Hope that eliminates some confusion. The next chapter will be up soon. I hope to get this finished, if not mostly finished, by the end of the summer. BTW, it feels great to be out of school. Of course now I have college to look forward to… Oh well! Drop in a review, as usual. Later. 


	22. Chapter 21: Jailbreak

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Leave me alone.

* * *

**Chapter 21: Jailbreak**

Vandar snapped out of his trance. The tiny Jedi Master looked around his chambers. Something had just gone terribly wrong. Master Kavar…something had happened to him! He went to his communicator. "Master Kavar? Are you there?" No answer. "Master Kavar! Are you alright?" Silence. The Master paused and put his emotions under control before he could panic. He switched on his communicator again. "Master Vash, are you there?"

"Yes, Master Vandar? What is it?"

"Find Master Kavar! I think something is wrong. I have just felt a disturbance in the force."

"I'll look for him immediately," she replied.

Meanwhile, Master Vandar decided to contact the rest of the council. He leapt up to his feet and exited the room. He reached out with the force and tried to locate Kavar, but could find nothing. Then his worst fears started to surface. Something was terribly wrong.

Not much later, Kavar's body was brought into the Jedi Academy by Master Vash. The multitude of Jedi Masters gathered around it. There were no apprentices around; they had been instructed to return to their dormitories.

"He was found on the street," Vash explained. "A couple apprentices found him and recognized him."

Vandar sadly gazed at the corpse. His arm had been severed. It was obvious he had been in a fight. He was murdered. By who, they did not know.

"They also saw something," Vash continued. "One of the windows to the academy was broken. It looked like he was thrown out of it!"

"Which one is it?" Vrook asked sternly.

"We don't know, but it was on the eastern side of the building."

Vandar suddenly remembered something. "Where is Master Kreia?" he asked. She was not here. Atris was here, but she had not said a word the entire time. "We must find her!"

"I can go," Vash interjected.

"Are you sure?" Zhar asked her.

"I can handle myself. I just need someone to come with me."

"Take some knights with you," Vandar advised. "And another master. Atris, can you go?"

Atris nearly blanched. She hoped Vandar didn't notice. "Y-yes…" she stammered. Atris couldn't believe herself. She had just contributed to the death of a Jedi Master. She should have told them what happened. But she didn't. She kept silent.

A short while later, Vash, Atris, and a small group of knights broke through Kreia's dorm door. The squad of Jedi stormed in and surveyed the room.

"Oh god!" Vash gasped when she saw the scene. It looked as if a fight had occurred there. Furniture was overturned. She looked toward the other end of the room and saw traces of blood. But worst of all, the window was shattered. "Where's Kreia?" Kreia was nowhere to be found. "She's gone!" Vash exclaimed.

Atris stayed silent. So Kreia had lied. She said she would go to the council, but had fled instead. Atris knew she should tell what had happened, but she couldn't. Why couldn't she tell her?

Vash noticed her silence, for she turned to Atris with a questioning look. "Atris, what's wrong?"

Atris met her eye contact. "I'm fine. I'm just upset about this."

"I know. One of our own has been murdered. This is terrible. Kreia must have had something to do with it. It's obvious."

"But we don't know if she killed him! Maybe Kavar had attacked her first?" Atris suggested.

"But Kavar is not like that! Kavar would never strike someone down without a good reason! Perhaps Kreia attacked him first."

Atris started to say something but her speech got caught in her throat. Vash noticed her behavior and faced her.

"Atris," she asked flatly, "is there anything you wish to tell me?"

Atris's mind raced. Finally, she replied firmly, "No."

Vash could not detect any deception in her voice. But still, she raised a suspicious eye to her. Atris could not believe herself. Now she had outright lied to another member of the council. And yet, she had not been detected. It was a technique she had learned from her own Sith holocrons.

Vash went over and surveyed the scene. "There is betrayal here, I can sense it! Either Kreia has betrayed us, or the Sith have infiltrated us. Or both." She addressed the four knights that were with them. "We need to search the entire academy for Kreia. I'd like you four to seal this area off and let no one in. Atris and I are going to return to the council." The four nodded.

Vash grabbed her communicator and spoke to Master Vandar. "Master Vandar, it is Kreia's room. Kavar was thrown out here. And Kreia's gone. She's nowhere to be found."

Vandar's voice came back grave. "This bodes ill for all of us. Find her. The entire academy must be searched at once. We should also tell the students to be on their guard."

"Yes, Vandar." The communicator went silent.

* * *

Admiral Onasi sat by himself in his office in his flagship. After working nearly nonstop all day, he decided to take a break for a few minutes. Now he sat idly in his chair, staring at the window across the room. The window looked out onto the surface of the planet Coruscant. It was a beautiful sight, but it still wasn't enough to take his mind off his troubles. As if the situation with Telos wasn't enough, he now had to deal with more Sith sightings. He tiredly put his hands to his face. Two loud knocks on his door shook him out of his daydream.

Carth stood up in his chair. "Enter." A Republic soldier entered the room and saluted him.

"What is it?" Carth asked him, returning the salute.

"Sir, we have an emergency. We have just received word that Onderon has been attacked!"

Carth's expression turned grave. "Attacked? By whom?"

We haven't confirmed it yet, but we have received reports that it was the Sith."

"The Sith!" Carth exclaimed. He knew it would have happened eventually, with Sith activity slowly rising over the past months. But this wasn't good. "If they're striking out in the open again, that must mean they've re-bolstered their forces!"

The soldier nodded. "It was a hit-and-run strike. Their fleet just appeared out of nowhere, bombarded the planet, then left. The surface wasn't destroyed, but a number of cities were struck."

Carth took a deep breath and paused.

"Should we launch a counterattack, sir?"

The Admiral waved his hand. "I want to discuss this with the other commanders. But we'll get the fleet ready just in case. I'll advise the other Admirals to do the same."

"But sir, what if they strike again?"

"We'll be ready for them. But for all we know, they could be setting a trap." He paused again. "I'm going to go to the Jedi Council and get their advice." He couldn't believe he had just said that. A few years ago, he wouldn't have even considered doing that. But so many things had changed since then. He straightened himself up. "Go and tell the officers to get their troops ready. I think war may have just been declared."

Shortly thereafter, Admiral Onasi had a message sent to the Jedi Council informing them of the Sith's strike and his request for their advice. He hoped they wouldn't take too long to respond. It wouldn't take long before the news of the Sith attack reached the people of Coruscant. It wouldn't be good. The people were still recovering from the last war. Briefly he wondered what Revan was doing. The man had all but disappeared after landing on Nar-Shadaa, and the council had no idea what he was doing. Revan was smart, but always was a tad impulsive.

"Admiral Onasi," a voice came in over the intercom. "The Jedi Council have a message for you."

"Send it in," he ordered. In a few seconds, a blue 3D image of Master Vandar appeared over his desk.

"Greetings, Admiral Onasi."

"Greetings, Master Vandar."

"The Jedi Council has received your urgent message. Unfortunately, we currently have a crisis of our own."

"What happened?"

"One of our own - Master Kavar - was killed," Vandar replied.

"K-Kavar?" Carth stammered. "Oh no. I'm sorry to hear that."

"This is grave news for us all. We suspect one of our own has betrayed us. And we have plenty of reason to believe the Sith were involved in this assassination as well."

"Great," Carth muttered. "Well, I know it may be a tad premature, but do you or the rest of the council have any plans for what to do next."

"We will discuss this. We have just called an emergency session for all the council members to discuss this murder and the Sith attack."

"Well, I don't normally do this, but I want to know what plan of action the council advises for the Republic before we strike back. After the Jedi Civil War, I admit I've gotten to trust your judgment a bit more," Carth confessed.

"Hmm. I find your trust most admirable, considering the past."

"But uh, don't take too long. We'll have to decide soon."

"We are all too aware of that, Admiral. I am afraid I must go. But we will be back with you soon."

"Thank you, Master Vandar. Admiral Onasi out."

The image of Vandar disappeared. Carth turned once again toward his window and looked at Coruscant. The Admiral would have to get the fleet mobilized and ready for combat before the Sith could strike again. This time, they would be ready. However, he couldn't shake a bad feeling that had been gnawing at his conscience. Something wasn't right.

"Revan, if you're out there, I could really use some help," he whispered.

* * *

Mission, invisible, slinked stealthily through the halls of the Exchange's prison sector. Two Exchange guards rounded a corner and were headed straight for her. She backed against the wall so they wouldn't collide into her. When they were gone, she resumed. Mission stayed focused on her task of freeing Revan. All she had to do was locate his cell and free him. She also wanted to share with him some of what she had found.

After looking to make sure she was alone, she pulled out the datapad she had stolen off the guard and checked the map. Revan's cell wasn't far away. Then they'd be able to find Atton. Although, if she could guess, he was probably heavily guarded. Ironic, considering Revan was the one they should have been guarding. Then again, they had no idea he was really one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy.

In a few moments, she came to a row of cells. There was an armored guard pacing the narrow corridor. She peered around the corner and thought she could make out Revan inside one of them. He wasn't alone. Most of the cells in the corridor were also occupied by Exchange prisoners. She paused and thought about what to do next. She would have to find some way to sneak past the guard. Or…

The guard paused when he heard a sound coming from around the corner. He figured it was another guard, but no one appeared. "Hello?" he called out. Nobody answered. He raised his blaster rifle and went around the corner to investigate. Meanwhile, Revan was noticing all this from his cell. The guard came to the intersection and looked around. No one was there. He shook his head to make sure he wasn't daydreaming. Nobody there. Maybe he was just imagining things. Just when he was about to turn around, something struck him hard at the back of the head. With a grunt, he collapsed on the ground.

Mission gave a satisfied smile. That was another move Revan had taught her. Still invisible, she looked around the row of cells. All the prisoners were now pressed against their energy doors trying to see what had just happened. "Revan? Are you there?" she whispered.

Revan heard and whispered back. "Mission? Is that you?"

"It's okay! I'm gonna get you out of here." She replied. In a couple of seconds, Mission's blue form materialized right outside Revan's cell force field. With a fluid motion she drew out her stolen keycard and swiped it. The blue energy field blocking the cell flickered and disappeared.

"Thanks, Mission," Revan said as he exited his cell. "Wow. I admit I didn't expect you to be able to do it that quickly."

Mission smirked. "No problem, Rev. Nothing to it. But you really should stop underestimating me."

"I guess so," Revan replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Just out of curiosity, what would you have done if I wasn't able to get you out? Not that I'm implying I couldn't do it, of course."

Revan leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I'm a Jedi, remember? I have my lightsaber. I would have found a way out."

Mission glared back at him. "Then why did you have me go through all that in the first place?"

"Because the Exchange doesn't need to know that they have a Jedi in their midst." Revan patted her shoulder. "But thanks anyway, kid."

"I'm not a kid, Rev! I'm sixteen years old! You…never mind. I know you're just teasing me." Mission still glared at him, but pulled out her datapad. "I got some things I wanna show you. I snuck into their security room and downloaded all these maps."

"Alright! Great job, Mission." He leaned in to see the datapad.

"That's not it! I wanna show you something." She pulled up an image of an unnamed level. "There's a huge level at the bottom of this building, but it's not labeled. It doesn't even appear on the security cameras."

Revan examined it curiously. He had a nagging suspicion that they should go and investigate. "We'll go check it out."

"But what about the others?"

"We'll contact them. We're gonna need to regroup."

"How are we going to do that, Rev? We're surrounded by the Exchange, and we still have to get Atton and Mr. Big-Blue-Eyes, which, I might add, we still have no idea where to find."

Revan cleared his throat. "First off, I think I know how to find Mr. 'Big-Blue-Eyes', and secondly, we'll be able to get around the Exchange."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"I have my own ideas."

"Hey!" one of the prisoners called from his cell. "Any chance you could let us out?"

Revan winked at Mission. "Just what I was thinking." He turned to the prisoners. "Would all of you like to be set free?" They all nodded eagerly. "Alright. We'll set you free, but I'd like for you all to do us a favor. Could you maybe make as much chaos as possible while you leave?"

The prisoners grinned mischievously and cheered in response.

"Wonderful! Let's get going."

"Oh yeah, there's a weapons storage down the hall to the right in sector "C" if you need to cause some chaos," Mission advised them.

Revan grinned. "You really did do a thorough job." Mission and Revan worked like lightning and freed every prisoner in the cell block. Within mere moments everyone was free and rushing noisily down the hall.

After that was done, Revan turned back to Mission. "That oughta buy us some time. We need to find Atton, now. Do you know where his cell, is?"

"Yeah follow me. It's not too far from here." Already, Revan and Mission could here noise coming from the rioting prisoners. They sped down the halls toward the second prison block. To their surprise, they didn't meet any guards.

"They must be dealing with the other prisoners," Revan muttered.

"Down here!" Mission pointed. They came to another section of prisoners. Mission led Revan down the hall, eyes following them as they went. Finally, they came to a solitary cell cut off from the rest. Inside was none other than Atton. Once he saw them he leapt up from his seat.

"Guys!" he called to them.

"Hey, Atton. Seems this happens to you a lot, doesn't it?" Revan said.

"Very funny. Just get me out of here." Mission slid her keycard across the panel and the energy field dissipated. A tired-looking Atton stepped out.

"Thanks, guys. I can't begin to describe how much I love not being in a prison cell."

"Anytime, but we gotta get out of here," Revan urged. "But first, we gotta do one thing. Mission?"

Mission nodded. Once they came to the first cell with a prisoner, she deactivated the field.

"We're gonna get you all out of here!" Revan announced. He was greeted by the cheers of the prisoners as they were freed one by one and ran out of the sector. When all of them were freed, Revan addressed the other two. "Alright, that should buy us some time. We need to contact the others. We're gonna need a plan to escape from this place. I'm betting we're going to have to reveal ourselves as Jedi pretty soon, so if there are Sith here, they're going to find out as well."

"Maybe we should call Jolee and have him get the ship ready," Mission suggested.

"Good idea. But we should contact the others, first," Revan advised. He pulled out his communicator.

"Wait, how come you still have yours? My guard took mine off of me," Mission asked.

"Let's just say I 'convinced' my guard to forget to search me thoroughly. Being a Jedi has its advantages."

"Force persuasion, huh? I should've guessed," Atton said dryly.

"Quaid, are you there?" Revan whispered. After a second of silence, Quaid's voice responded.

"Revan? Are you out of your cell already?" he asked.

"Yeah. Me, Atton, and Mission are out. Where are you guys?"

"Visas and I are in my room. Yuthura and HK are in Visquis' throne room."

"Great. Wait-Visas is with you in your room? Just what are you two doing?"

"We're only talking, Revan," Quaid's annoyed voice replied. "There's nothing 'inappropriate' happening."

"Alright. Just making sure. I've seen the way you two have been acting around each other recently."

"Very funny. And she's standing right next to me, just in case you've forgotten already. Anyway, we got word from Yuthura that there's a riot going on and the Exchange has no idea how it happened. You by chance don't have anything to do with it, do you?"

"Oh, I might. It's giving us a very useful distraction right now. Look, get Yuthura and HK. We need to meet up again and find what we came here for."

"Right. Where are we going to meet?"

"Meet us in the prison block. We need to talk," Revan told him. "Contact me again once you and the other two are back together. We need to make this quick. And be careful, I have plenty of reason to believe there are Sith in this building."

"Alright, Revan, I'll call back soon," Quaid replied and hung up.

* * *

Quaid put his communicator back on his belt and turned to Visas. "They're out. We need to get the others." Visas nodded. Lately she had seemed withdrawn for some reason. Much more so than usual. "Visas, is there something wrong?" he asked her.

She took a deep breath and sighed. "It's just a feeling I have, Quaid," she whispered. She had just recently started addressing him by his name instead of as 'exile.' "I have a terrible feeling about this. My Master is planning something terrible. I don't know what it is, but I don't think it will be long before he executes it. I fear he may have already started his campaign."

Quaid assured her by resting his hands on her shoulders. "Are you still afraid of him?"

She nodded weakly. "Yes. I fear that though I have left him, he still retains some of his hold on me. I don't know if I'll be able to break free of his influence entirely. I'm afraid I may never be fully free of him until he is dead."

Quaid raised her head so her hidden eyes met his. "You can beat him, Visas. You can get through this. _We_ can get through this. I know it."

She smiled. "You are so full of hope, Quaid. I think it is one of the things that drew me to you in the first place. It reminds me of how…I used to be." Her face grew serious again. "You will have to face my master. And so will I. It is inevitable. But…" she paused. "I want to do it together. I want to be with you at that deciding moment."

"And I with you," he whispered back. Without thinking, he drew her close and hugged her tightly. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back. When at last they drew apart, she smiled back at him again.

"We'd better get going," Quaid said as he put his mask back on.

"Yes," she replied, and the two left.

* * *

Hope you liked this one. If things go right, the next chapter should be out within a few days. 


	23. Chapter 22: To Find the Beast

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

**Chapter 22: To Find the Beast**

"Well, I don't pretend to know what the Sith are planning. I just don't think it may be a good idea to go out looking for them yet," Vash addressed the Council. The entire Jedi Council was gathered in the large room.

"The Sith have intruded upon our very sanctum and slain one of our own. Are you expecting us to take no action?" Vrook objected sternly.

"I am not saying that," Vash replied. "I am only suggesting we try to figure out _what_ the Sith are planning before we go out searching for them."

"But what will we do if they strike again and we are still thinking?" Master Dorak protested.

"We will stop them. We must go out and finish them off before they do any more damage," Vrook said. "A Jedi's duty is to protect life."

"But a Jedi's duty is also to make wise decisions," Zhar interjected. "Perhaps we should try for a more defensive maneuver – advise the fleet to protect the outer rim worlds and send out some of our own knights to assist them."

"That might prove difficult, Zhar," Dorak replied. "If we do that, we might risk spreading our ranks too thin as well as the Republic fleet." He turned to the short Jedi Master sitting beside him. "Vandar, you have not really said anything. Do you have any advice on the matter?"

The small Master looked up. "I'm afraid this is quite a complicated matter. We do not know where the Sith operate from. We do not even know where Kreia is now. As much as I do not want to say it, I'm afraid she might even be connected to the Sith now. If we were to find her, we could get some answers. As for the Sith…" He paused. "I'm afraid I am not sure which direction we should take. I'm rather surprised the Sith did not scorch the entire surface of Onderon. I wonder if this attack was merely to provoke us into responding."

"It could be," Zhar agreed. "What do you think, Atris? You too have been rather silent."

Atris cleared her throat. "The Sith have grown bold, that much we know. They may feel we have grown weak." She paused and stood. "The Sith have seen the way the council have acted in the past. They're trying to use our own indecisiveness against us!"

"What do you mean?" Vandar asked her.

"This attack was a test, don't you see that?" continued. "They are trying to force us to play our hand. That's what this assassination was, too! It was them trying to see how we would respond. They are judging us now by what we've done in the past. Think we will hesitate and argue over what to do next while they keep killing others! Can you not see? The Sith are trying to send a message to the Republic: that the Jedi are too weak to protect them! Look around! Can you still not see the resent from them from the Mandalorian wars? If the council had acted, who knows what might have happened! For all we know, the Jedi Civil War could have all been avoided!"

"But Atris, we saw what happened to Revan," Vandar cut in. "He-"

"Revan's corruption was a terrible thing. But could we have prevented it? If the council had acted instead of waiting, would Revan have even fallen? Would the Sith have ever had a chance to regain their strength? No! There is only one thing the Sith respect – power. And they believe we have lost it. That is why they feel as though they cannot attack us on a whim."

"Atris, don't you know who you sound like? You sound like-"Vash began.

"Revan?" Atris finished for her.

Vash didn't answer, but asked another question. "What if it's a trap?"

"What if it isn't? This a chance! A chance for the council to prove its strength! A chance for us to assert our power. We can use the Sith's own tactics against them. We will find them…and destroy them all in one swoop! We can end their influence on this galaxy. If not, we will at least permanently cripple them."

Vandar shook his head.

Atris was now started pacing. "This is our chance to show the Sith and the Republic that we care about the innocent – and that we are not afraid to defend them. With Revan and Bastila gone, the Sith think we've lost the only driving force we have. Well, here is our chance to prove them wrong. If we go out and strike back now, we can end this. If not, we will only prove that we lack the will and the power to protect this galaxy; that we are afraid to face danger!"

The entire council looked at Atris, then at each other.

* * *

Admiral Onasi was on the bridge of his flagship when a loud beeping came in over the speakers indicating an incoming message.

"Send it through," Carth ordered. An image of Master Vandar appeared on the screen. "Hello, Master Vandar."

"Admiral, the council has made its decision," he spoke.

"Really? This came quicker than I thought. What does the council advise?"

"The council has decreed that you and the Republic should go forth, find the Sith, and finish them off," he spoke frankly.

"Amazing. I'm a little surprised. Though you don't really look like you're happy with the decision."

"Admiral, I am afraid I do not know what the plan of action should be. But the majority of the council feels this is the best course of action to take."

"Alright. Thank you, Master Vandar."

"Good luck to you, Admiral."

"Good luck, to you too, Master Vandar. Admiral Onasi out."

* * *

Atton, Mission, and Revan hunkered down in the weapons storage room as they waited for Quaid, Visas, Yuthura, and HK to call back. Revan wanted to rally with them while the prisoners were still running rampant. Finally, Quaid's voice came in through his communicator.

"Revan, it's Quaid. We're altogether. We've gathered outside Visquis' throne room. Where are you?"

"We're in the weapons storage right next to the prison sector. Can you find it?" Revan replied.

"I don't think so."

"It's alright. We can give you directions. Just hurry up." He looked over at Mission. "Have you found the throne room, yet?"

"Yup."

"Alright. Quaid? Don't worry about it. Just follow our directions and you'll be there."

It wasn't long before the doors to the armory opened and the rest of Revan's companions joined them.

Revan went up to them. "Great, you made it. Did you encounter any trouble along the way?"

"Answer: No, master. Much to my disappointment," HK answered.

"Yeah," Quaid continued. "The guards are a little busy with the prisoners, who also somehow managed to get their hands on a bunch of weapons. We'd better hurry, though. I think Visquis will get suspicious of us when he finds out we've run off."

"Then we have no time to lose. Let's go, everyone!" Revan ordered the rest. The seven of them ran out of the room. Revan held the map in his hand and led the others down the hall.

"Where are we going?" Yuthura asked as they ran along.

"To the bottom level," Revan replied. "Turn left! We have to go through the hangars." They darted down the hall until they reached the end. The door opened and they stepped into the large, spacious room where all the ships were docked. The door opened out onto a narrow catwalk that ran above the floor. Down below, the sounds of blaster fire were heard. Visquis' guards were dealing with the escaped prisoners. Not taking time to look at the scene, Revan and the others ran across it. Unfortunately, one of the Exchange guards happened to see them.

"Look!" one of them pointed. "It's those bounty hunters Visquis hired! And they're with the prisoners! Someone stop them!"

"Oh great," Atton grumbled.

"Never mind them, keep going!" Revan shouted. The other end of the catwalk ended at another doorway. The door slid open to reveal another long hallway. Not pausing for a moment the group rushed down the corridor.

"Left!" Revan instructed. "We're close to the elevator!" A short moment later they arrived at a stretch of hall that ended at a large set of doors. "There it is," Revan told them. "Let's go." Before they could proceed, a barrage of blaster fire came down from the end of the hall. The seven barely had enough time to move out of the way and behind the corner.

"Geez! What was that?" Mission yelped in surprise.

"Turrets," Quaid said. "The elevator's guarded by turrets."

"Take 'em out, HK!" Revan commanded.

"Acknowledgement: Yes, master!" Bathed in an energy shield, the red droid stepped out into the open. A volley of red bolts bounced off his force field. The droid took careful aim and launched an ion grenade at the group of turrets. At the end of the hall, the grenade detonated and the turrets went silent.

"Good work, HK," Revan said as the others came back out into the open.

"Proud reply: Thank you, Master."

"The Exchange really wanted the elevator guarded," Yuthura remarked.

"Yes. We're going to find out exactly what they're guarding very soon," Revan said as they moved down the hall. Once at the elevator, Revan pressed a button on the panel to open the doors. Once everyone was boarded, the doors slid shut again. "Here goes nothing," Revan said and pressed a button to take them down to the ground level.

"We don't have much time. If Visquis finds out about us we'll have half the Exchange in this building after us in no time," Quaid muttered.

"Just out of curiosity Rev, do you even know where you're going?" Mission asked him. You don't even know where this creature's being kept. I mean, it could take hours to find it!"

Revan waved his hand. "Don't worry. I think I know who to ask." At last, the elevator came to a halt and the doors slid open. The group of seven stepped out into large intersection of hallways.

"What is this place?" Mission asked as she looked around. "Is there anyone around?"

"There are people here, I can sense it," Visas said.

"So what now? Are we just going to search every room until we find it?" Atton asked.

Revan shook his head. "No. Someone's going to show us there. We just need to find him."

"Who? Who is going to show us there? Revan, do you even know what you're talking about?" Mission blurted.

"Just humor me, okay?" Revan snapped unexpectedly. "I can't really explain it right now. Just trust me." He looked left, right, then straight ahead. After a moment of thought he pointed straight ahead. "This way."

The rest of them shrugged their soldiers and followed him. "This is like the blind leading the blind," Atton muttered under his breath.

"Hey, who are they?" they heard a voice shout from behind them. All seven of them spun around to see a group of soldiers standing behind them – wearing Sith uniforms!

"Hey! They're Sith!" Mission gasped.

"These must be the intruders!" one of the soldiers spoke. "Take 'em out!" The soldiers raised their rifles, but Revan responded first. Instead of using his blaster, he went straight for his lightsaber. The blue blade shot out just as the soldiers fired, and easily deflected all the shots. Following his lead, Yuthura, Visas, and Quaid pulled out their lightsabers.

"They're Jedi!" Revan heard one of them shout. They kept firing, but the four Jedi deflected the bolts right back onto the soldiers, sending them all to the ground. Once it was done, the group rushed over to the bodies.

"So it's true…the Sith really are working with the Exchange!" Yuthura remarked. "I knew it."

"This is great…I wonder how long this has been going on," Atton added.

"Do you think we should take their uniforms? Maybe disguise ourselves as them?" Mission suggested.

"That might take too much time. For all we know, there could be an entire army of Sith heading for this area," Revan replied. "We need to move on. Let's move the bodies so they don't see them right away." They dragged the bodies to the side of the hall inside one of the narrow doorways so they were just out of sight.

"Well, where next?" Quaid asked.

"Keep going down this hall," Revan answered. "By the way guys, if you see a lizard-like alien walking around here, say something. But don't kill him."

"Is that who you're looking for?" Yuthura asked.

"Yes."

"Regretful statement: You really know how to take away a droid's fun, master."

Revan and the others continued down the long hall, skipping over the doors as they went. They were just about to come to another intersection when another group of Sith soldiers appeared from around the corner.

"There they are! Kill them!" one of the soldiers shouted. This time, HK-47 was the first to respond. The droid fired several bolts at the group of soldiers. The four Jedi responded by charging at them with their lightsabers drawn, while Atton and Mission supported them from the rear.

Revan leapt in front of one of the armored Sith. He took a swipe him, cutting his rifle in half. In a flash he swung again, this time right across his chest. The soldier fell to the floor, and within a few moments the other soldiers lay dead as well.

"I have a feeling we're gonna meet a lot more. We should try to avoid as much fighting as we-" he stopped in mid-sentence. Right in front of him, about fifty feet down the hall, stood the reptilian alien he was looking for. He was still wearing the jacket with the strange gizka patch on the soldier. "It's him! Get him!" Revan shouted.

The Trandoshan responded by throwing a grenade down the hall, then running away as fast as he could. "Duck!" Quaid shouted. The four Jedi barely had enough time to leap out of the way before the grenade detonated. The grenade exploded, followed by a cry of pain from Yuthura.

"Yuthura? Are you okay?" Revan asked.

"Yes," Yuthura stammered. "It's just my arm." Revan looked at her and saw that her arm had arm was bleeding from some shrapnel that had cut her.

"He's getting away!" Quaid shouted. He and Visas followed the pursuit down the hall with force-enhanced speed.

"This way!" Visas pointed, and the two turned left around the corner. The Trandoshan had by now reached a door and was about to open it. Visas reached out with her hand and the reptilian alien suddenly grew still. He was in a stasis.

"We got him," Quaid called to the others. He and Visas approached the Trandoshan, who now wore a worried expression on his face.

"Visas, that was remarkable. I don't think I've ever seen a stasis field applied from that great a distance," Quaid said to her.

Visas grinned. "I wasn't my master's top assassin for no reason." Quaid chuckled as the other five approached them. Yuthura now wore a bandage on her arm.

"Move," Revan said to the others as he approached the Trandoshan. He couldn't move, but Revan could tell he was afraid.

"Get him out of that stasis. We need to talk," Revan instructed. With a wave of Visas' hand, the stasis field disappeared. Before the Trandoshan could move, Revan grabbed him harshly and pulled him up by his jacket.

"Alright, you," Revan growled. "I need answers, now. And you'd better talk."

"What makes you think I even know anything?" the alien hissed back.

"Call it a hunch. And if you want to make it easier on us and yourself, you'll play along."

"What do you want?"

"Information. Just what exactly is going on, here? You're not a member of the Exchange. You're a Sith, aren't you?"

The alien's eyes darted back and forth. "Yes, I am."

"What is your name? I can't just call you 'Sith'"

"My name is 'Trusk', you Jedi scum."

"Well, Trusk, what are you doing here? What is this place? What are the Sith doing working with the Exchange?" Revan demanded.

"Go to hell, Jedi," the Trandoshan growled.

Revan slammed him against the wall, but Trusk showed no signs of yielding. "You'd better talk, or I promise you, you'll regret it."

Trusk hissed. "What are you going to do, Jedi? Kill me? Go ahead."

Revan loosened his grip. "No, I won't kill you. But do you see that droid over there?" He pointed toward HK. "That droid is pretty violent and has been itching to see blood spilt for some time. I'm going to ask you questions, and every time you give me an answer I don't like, I'm going to have him blow something off. And I guarantee they will be things you will miss."

"Exclamation: Ooh, thank you, master! This exercise sounds fun! May I blow out his digestive organs, first?"

"You're bluffing," Trusk said.

"You think so? Do you know who I am?"

"No. Nor do I care."

"I think you will. I've had a few names, but you probably no me as Darth Revan."

Trusk's eyes widened. Revan wasn't sure if he believed him or not, but he didn't have time to ask. "Now tell me, what is this place? What are the Sith doing here?"

"This place is a training facility. The new recruits come here before they're shipped out."

"Recruits? For the Sith?" Quaid asked. Trusk nodded.

"Is that why the Exchange has been hiring so many mercenaries?" Revan asked. "Are they hiring for the Sith?"

Trusk grinned. "Yes, Jedi. They've been hiring them for some time. We hire recruits from all around the galaxy and bring them here before they are shipped off."

"How many have you hired?" Revan asked him.

Trusk laughed. "Oh, hundreds, Jedi! Thousands! We Sith have used the Exchange to help bolster our forces again. You'll be surprised what some people will do for money. And we don't operate just on this world, but others."

"And what does the Exchange get out of this?" Yuthura asked.

"Useful things. Weapons, equipment, ships, those things. We've helped them keep a hold on this planet as well as suppress the rival gangs."

"Who is your leader?" Revan asked.

"To hell with you, Jedi."

"HK, blow off his right arm," Revan commanded. HK-47 raised his rifle.

"Okay! I'll tell you!" Revan waved his hand for HK to stop. "Visquis is the leader of the Exchange. Currently, the Sith operation on this planet is being lead by someone you may have met before. His name is Darth Sion."

"Yeah, we've met," Quaid muttered.

"And he's here right now!" Trusk added. "And when he finds out you're here, he'll find you." He laughed.

Revan tightened his grip on Trusk. "Alright. Now where's this artifact you Sith are keeping down here?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"He lies!" Visas warned.

"HK," Revan started.

"Alright! The artifact is down here. But I cannot take you to it, Revan. Sion will surely kill me if I do!"

"I was a Sith Lord too, Trusk. I can be ruthless, too. We'll kill you anyway if you don't, so your choices are pretty even as of now. And don't forget what I said about the droid," Revan reminded him.

The alien looked around again. "Very well. I will take you to it."

"Smart," Revan said and released him. "But try anything, and you'll regret it."

Trusk straightened up and looked at the rest of them. "Follow me."

* * *

Sorry for the quick ending, but don't panic. A quick explanation: I had to cut this chapter off. Originally, it was supposed to end with them leaving Nar-Shadaa, but the chapter ended up being very long with that. I decided instead to cut it in half and release it in two parts. The next part is almost finished, and I'll have it posted in just a couple days. Hope you don't mind, and I hope you liked this chapter anyway. Please R & R. 


	24. Chapter 23: To Free the Beast

Told ya it'd be only a couple days! And I was right for once!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

**Chapter 23: To Free the Beast**

Revan and his companions followed Trusk down the hall, with Atton holding a pistol to his back the entire way. It wasn't long before they encountered more Sith soldiers.

"There they are! They've taken Trusk prisoner!" one of them shouted. There were maybe eight of them, but they were taken out quickly by Revan and the other three Jedi. Trusk definitely didn't seem happy about it, and grew more angry as they progressed.

It was a large level, and it was a while before they finally came to the section in which they were holding the creature prisoner. But it wasn't before they encountered too more waves of soldiers. Revan knew they didn't have long before the halls were swarming with Exchange and Sith.

"Around that corner," Trusk directed them. But as they rounded the corner, they were quickly met with more blaster fire. At the end of the hall were more turrets, as well as…

"Dark Jedi!" Yuthura exclaimed. There were four of them guarding the entrance to the door, as well as soldiers. Someone _really_ wanted this door guarded.

Revan, Yuthura, Quaid, and Visas charged with their lightsabers drawn. They deflected the blaster bolts as they ran, while Atton, Mission, and HK-47 fired with their blasters.

"Warning: watch out, master!" HK-47 launched an ion grenade from his left hand, which instantly disabled the turrets

Seeing an opportunity, Trusk attempted to escape, but was quickly stopped by a strong, metallic hand.

"Condescending command: Do not attempt to escape, you half-witted meatbag, or I will tear you apart, limb from useless limb!" With one hand, he kept Trusk pinned to the wall while he used the other to fire his blaster.

Up front, Revan struck at one of the Sith, who blocked him. In a flash, Revan drew his other lightsaber and struck. Revan aimed blow after blow at the Dark Jedi, who retaliated with strikes of his own. Revan at last saw an opening, landed a blow right across the Sith's side. With a cry of pain, he fell to the floor. The soldiers were still there, but luckily they were preoccupied with Atton, Mission, and HK. Visas managed to finish off the Sith she was dueling with, and Yuthura and Quaid soon finished off their opponents. Yuthura's arm was still injured, but she still held her own very well. By this time, HK-47 had downed most of the Sith soldiers, while Mission and Atton took out the rest.

"Someone really wanted this door guarded," Revan said after the fight was finished. He looked back to see HK-47 dragging a furious-looking Trusk behind him by the collar.

"I can walk, you mechanical moron!" the Sith spat.

"Statement: This meatbag attempted to escape while you were distracted, master."

"Tired of our company already, Trusk?" Revan mocked. Trusk merely glared at him. "Let him up, HK," Revan commanded. HK let go, and the angry Sith got to his feet while pushing the droid away from him. Revan pointed his lightsaber at the reptilian Sith. "Now, open the door."

Hesitantly, Trusk approached the door. He drew a passcard from his pocket and swiped it, then pressed his hand to the panel. With a hiss the doors opened up into a dark, small room lined with computer consoles. The group walked into the room, and surely enough, there it was. Against the corner, surrounded by an energy field, stood the creature they had released on Dantooine. Upon seeing them, it perked up and pressed against the field.

"Revan! I knew you were here!" it exclaimed. "Let me out!"

"I will, just give us a sec!" Revan replied. He turned to Trusk. "Release him."

Trusk nervously walked up to one of the computer consoles. He pressed a few buttons on the panel, and within a few moments, the energy field holding the creature disappeared. It leapt out of its cell and approached Revan. "Thank you," it said to him. "I cannot tell you how much danger we were all in."

"Good to see you, too," Revan added. "Is that a force-restraint collar?"

"Yes. Can you get it off me?" it asked.

"Sure. One sec."

"Do you have any idea what this thing is?" Trusk asked Revan.

"I really am not sure. But whatever he is, he was created a very long time ago by a crazy Jedi, apparently," Revan explained as he removed the collar.

"My father was not insane, though he was certainly not rational," the creature responded, almost in an annoyed tone. "And everything will be explained in time. But first, we must leave. We don't have much time."

"How are we going to get out of here?" Mission asked.

"There's a hangar!" Quaid said. "We can hijack a ship from there! But we have to hurry." As soon as he finished a loud siren sounded from the halls outside.

"What is that?" Revan asked Trusk.

"An alarm," Trusk told him. "Someone must have found out you were here. Sion and the rest of the Sith will be here in no time," he said almost casually.

"That's nice," Revan grumbled. With a wave of his hand, he sent Trusk flying against the wall. He fell to the floor, unconscious.

"What did you do?" Quaid asked, shocked.

"Relax, he's just knocked out. We don't need him, anyway."

"Not to rush you guys, but LET'S GO!" Atton yelled.

The eight of them rushed out of the room. Sirens all around were going off, and Revan could tell there were soldiers around.

"Look out!" Quaid shouted. A large wave of Sith soldiers appeared and blocked their path. A barrage of blaster fire quickly came their way. Revan and the other Jedi deflected the bolts and ran forward to meet them. Revan force-leapt at the mass of armored troops. He landed and quickly cut down the soldier in front of him. He was about to deal with the others when a bolt of force-lightning darted forth right in front of him. The bolt struck and wiped out over half the soldiers. Revan quickly glanced back and saw the creature standing, with force-lightning still crackling around its body. It had an almost satisfied grin on its face.

Revan was joined by the other three Jedi, who easily dealt with the soldiers. "Impressive," Revan said to the creature as it neared him.

"I can command both the light and the dark sides of the force. I'm not proud of it, but the force flows through me differently than it does you," it told him. "And I'm stronger now then I was on Dantooine. My powers have now all but fully returned."

"In that case, you'll be a big help," Revan said.

"Revan, here come more!" Quaid shouted.

Revan cursed and turned to face the oncoming wave of soldiers. This time the creature responded first. A wave of lightning erupted from its hands and struck down all the soldiers at the front of the group. The others weren't sure how to respond. HK-47 took the opportunity to fire a volley at them from his rifle, downing a few more. Revan followed by leaping at the soldiers and cutting them down with his lightsaber. Once all the soldiers were down, the eight of them ran as fast as they could toward the elevator. They only met a few soldiers before reaching the elevator, which were dealt with easily. Once they boarded the elevator and reached the floor, they piled out and fought their way toward the hangar. This time, it was the Exchange they had to deal with. They at last reached the huge doors of the hangar, and they slid open.

To their relief, the hangar was empty. "Pick a ship, any ship," Quaid told them. Revan spotted a medium-sized vessel that looked big enough to hold all of them.

"There!" he pointed.

"Wait, we need to open the doors, first," Yuthura reminded them.

"Atton, get inside that ship and get it ready. We'll take care of the doors," Revan commanded. Quaid tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Up there is the main control room for the hangar. We might have to hack into the computers."

"Mission, follow us!" Revan called to her. The three of them ran up to the control room. When they reached it, there was no one inside. "We need to open the doors," Revan said.

"Move!" Mission pushed through him. She instantly went to work on the keyboard. Within a few moments, they heard a loud groan as the hangar doors opened. They were about to leave when Quaid stopped them.

"Wait! I have a deal to complete," he told them.

"What are you doing? Quaid, we don't have much time!" Revan urged him.

"Hold on! I need to do this. It won't take long." He turned to Mission. "Mission, there's a radar field the Exchange operates from here. Can you disable it?"

"I'll try," she told him. She cracked her knuckles and worked furiously on the system. "That's it! I did it!" she said after a while.

"Great. I have more thing. Can you access the control panels for the docking system in this hangar?" Quaid asked her.

"Quaid, what are you doing?" Revan shouted.

"Just hold on!"

"Revan, the ship's up and running. I just need you to release it from the dock," Atton spoke through Revan's communicator.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, Mission and Quaid got up. "Let's go!" the exile told him.

"Mind explaining what you did?" Revan asked him.

"I programmed the console to send a huge electrical surge through the entire hangar in about five minutes. Every ship that's hooked up is gonna be fried!"

"Clever. I hope you know that might also ignite the fuel tanks here," he warned.

"I know. That'll make it even better," the exile said with a sly grin. "It'll also destroy the control room and their main radar conduit."

"Why? What's this for?"

"I made a deal with Vogga the Hutt. I'll explain later."

They finally reached the ship, where everyone except Atton was waiting outside.

"The ship is ready, Revan. If we hurry, we can get out of here before-"

"**The Sith arrive?"** an inhuman voice answered. Everyone looked back to see dozens of Sith and Exchange soldiers standing there with blasters aimed. At the very front of it all were Darth Sion and Visquis. "I must congratulate you on managing to get this far," he said mockingly. "But this is as far as you'll go."

"I was a fool to trust you so easily," Visquis told Quaid, pointing a blaster at him. "But thankfully, that's a mistake I won't have to live with."

"Mission, get on the ship," Revan told her. She hesitated for a moment, but quickly rushed into the vessel. "Sion, this hangar is rigged to explode. If we stay here too long, we'll all die."

"All the more reason for you to give up now." Sion saw Visas and his expression changed. "So there you are, you traitor," he growled at her. "Nihilus has seen your treachery, you foolish girl. I'm sure you know this."

Visas said nothing, and glared back at him.

"Believe me, you will pay for what you have done. You should have thought twice before aiding these worthless Jedi," Sion snorted. "You're as good as dead, now. I'm sure Nihilus will be pleased to see you again. I think he'll enjoy torturing you endlessly and hearing you scream for mercy." He laughed.

"Don't listen to him, Visas," Quaid told her.

"No, Sion," Visas hissed. "It's you who will fail. You are the one who is as good as dead. Nihilus won't be happy when he finds you've let me _and_ his prize slip right through your fingers."

Sion glared at her hatefully. He shifted his attention to the creature. "You. Come with us, now. Do it and we'll give your companions a very quick death."

"I will not," it spat.

"No," Revan told it. Everyone looked at him.

"Revan?" Quaid asked.

Revan waved a hand. "It's useless. There's no escaping from this. We've lost," he said in a defeated tone. Sion gave a satisfied smile. Revan turned to the creature. "You should go."

"Revan, what are you saying?" it shouted in amazement.

Revan lowered his head. "I…" he began. Instead of completing his thought, he shot his hand out toward the crowd of soldiers. He sent out a force wave so powerful it knocked over every enemy in the room except Sion.

"GET THEM!" Sion roared. He charged at Revan, who had both his lightsabers drawn already.

Quaid quickly took a grenade from his belt and lobbed it at the downed group of soldiers. It exploded right in the center, taking a bunch of them out.

Sion struck at Revan furiously. Revan in turn parried all his blows while trying to strike back with his own. Sion attempted to land a blow on Revan's head, but he blocked it. Using his lightsaber he pushed and held Sion's blade down to the floor. "Bye bye," Revan mocked, and in a flash he used his other lightsaber to strike off Sion's lightsaber hand. The corpse-like Sith lord moaned in pain. Before he could get his lightsaber with the other hand, Revan sent him flying across the room with another force-wave.

"Quick! Everyone on the ship!" Revan shouted. They all boarded, with Quaid being the last. By this time, Visquis had gotten back up in a daze. Seeing Quaid, he fired a shot at him with his blaster. However, Quaid deflected the bolt with his lightsaber, and sent it right back at Visquis, who fell lifelessly to the floor. Quaid smiled and ran up the entry ramp, then closed it behind him.

Everyone else was getting into their seats. "Everyone, buckle up!" Atton's voice came in over the intercom. Everyone found a seat and strapped in. In a moment, the ship lurched as it slowly rose off the ground. The ship turned and headed for the hangar doors as the Exchange and Sith fired at it from below.

"Yeeha!" Atton yelled from the cockpit. The ship lurched forward and accelerated. It sped through the doors and down a long tunnel. Behind them, they could feel a rumble as the hangar exploded behind them. A column of fire followed them out the tunnel as the ship finally broke free into the atmosphere.

Once they were in the open, Revan and the others breathed a sigh of relief. He slowly unbuckled himself and stood up. "Atton, send a transmission to Jolee and tell him to get the Ebon Hawk ready," he said into the intercom. He sighed again and sat down.

"Close call, eh?" Mission said with a grin.

"Tell me about it," Revan replied.

"So where next?" Mission asked.

"Dantooine," Revan told her. "Where we'll be able to settle this once and for all." He paused and turned to the creature, who was staring right back at him.

"Okay, I've freed you. Now, can you explain to me what exactly you are? And how were you made?"

The creature looked Revan straight in the eye. "I can tell you. But first, we must get off this planet. Then I will tell you everything. I promise you."

"Very well." Revan turned to Quaid. "Now, care to explain what that was all about back there? We must've wiped out almost the entire Exchange back there and their Sith recruits."

Quaid stood up. "I made a deal with Vogga the Hutt. I told him that we would remove the Exchange's blockade if he shipped his huge stockpile of fuel to Telos."

"You got fuel for Telos?" Revan asked excitedly.

"Yes. We pretty much wiped out the Exchange fleet and their vast radar network. It will be long time, if ever, before they get up and running again."

"Great job," Revan congratulated him.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to send Vogga a transmission right now telling him I've done my end of the deal," Quaid said. With that he got up and headed for the ship's cockpit.

Yuthura approached Revan and stood beside him. "Now that this is done, we may have a chance to save Bastila," she said, trying to comfort Revan.

"I know," he replied. "She's still alive, I can feel it. I just hope we make it in time."

In the cockpit, Quaid was busy sending a transmission to Vogga. An image appeared of a sour-looking Rodian on the screen. "What do you want?" it huffed.

"I need to speak to Vogga," Quaid told him.

"Vogga is busy! Call back later."

"Tell him about the Exchange's fleet. It's been disabled."

The Rodian's eyes widened. "Well, that makes quite a difference. Wait here, I'll send you through to him at once."

A few seconds later, Vogga's bloated form appeared on the screen. "Well hello, old friend. I was wondering what happened to you. So, what news do you have about that blockade?"

"Vogga, the blockade is over. The Exchange's fleet has been destroyed."

Vogga looked surprised. "Impossible! The Exchange's fleet destroyed this soon? I did not think you could do it. Are you lying to me?"

Quaid grinned. "If you don't believe me, just look for yourself. I think you'll find their radar field that's been obstructing your transmissions is gone."

Vogga eyed him. "For some reason, I believe you. You have that honest face. But I must say, I am surprised," he gurgled. "So, I guess this means I have to fulfill my end of the bargain now?"

"Yes. You promised you'd send your fuel to Telos. I met my end of the bargain, now it's your turn."

"Well, I am a Hutt of my word. I will send Telos the fuel I promised. And I'll give them a fair deal, as you requested. The shipments will be sent immediately." He paused. "You are strange. Most people would just ask for credits. Not that I mind, but it's very unusual."

Quaid grinned. "I'm an unusual person. Thank you, Vogga. Farewell."

"Bye," the Hutt huffed, and the screen went dark.

* * *

Atton flew the ship over to the docks and landed it at one of the empty pads. The eight of them exited the ship and went out into the open. "Jolee," Revan said through his communicator. "Is the Ebon Hawk ready?" 

"Yup. Now where have you kids been? I was beginning to wonder what happened to you! I was starting to think you'd gotten run over by a freighter, or something."

"No, but it was a wild ride, I'll tell you," Revan sighed.

"Well, you can tell me all about it later. The ship is all warmed up, and T3's about ready to bust a few bolts if you don't show up. Little droid's been worried about you, too."

Revan chuckled. "Alright, we'll be right there."

Meanwhile, HK-47 was having a chat with the creature,who was now wearing a black Sith robeto help hide his appearance. It had been taken off one of the Dark Jedi, and the hood was drawn over his head.

"Statement: You are an amazing thing, creature. You are not a droid, yet you do not have the squishy parts of a meatbag. You seem to be artificial, yet you are not mechanical! What model are you?"

The creature looked at HK curiously. "I am…complicated," he said nervously. "The force is what gives me life. Now, how is it that you can live without the force? It is very strange."

"Boastful statement: I am a cybernetically-structured protocol droid, built as a custom model and capable of accomplishing a wide range of useful tasks, including language translation and meatbag extermination!"

"What is a 'meatbag'?" he asked the droid.

"Pretty much anything that bleeds," Revan told him.

"Ah. This is a rather unique companion you have here," the creature replied.

"You have no idea." Revan turned to his companions. "We'd better hurry before our new friend attracts some unwanted attention.

It wasn't long before the gang arrived at the familiar Ebon Hawk. Revan couldn't have been happier to see it. The sooner he was off this planet and back on Dantooine, the better. The entry ramp was already open, and Jolee Bindo was outside waving to them as they approached. His eyes widened when he saw the creature.

"Well, hello there," Jolee said to them. "I see you've found what you came here for."

"Yes. Now let's get off this planet," Quaid said. The entire group boarded the vessel. A little while later, the Ebon Hawk lifted off the ground and zoomed into the stratosphere.

* * *

Yay! I'm hoping to get this almost finished, if not all finished by the end of the summer. Unfortunately, I need to take some time to work on my other fic, so it might be a little while before this one is updated again. If I could do it over, I would have this fic finished by now. Then again, when I first started I had no idea that I'd be writing a friggin' book. XP Please drop in a review, I'm always eager for opinions, criticisms, etc. So long. 


	25. Chapter 24: Revelations

I have to apologize for not getting this out sooner. (that happens a lot, doesn't it?) I was so close to finishing my other fic I decided to just get it done. That ended up in this being put off for a quite some time. Anyway, I wasn't able to get this finished by the end of summer as I had hoped. I've come to realize that I suck at getting things updated frequently. Damn you, laziness! On the other hand, with my other fic finished I'll be able to devote more time to this one. There are only a few chapters left, so it won't be that long before it's over. I must say this fic has turned out longer than I thought it'd be. But I've enjoyed writing it all the same. And finally, things will be revealed in this one.

For some reason, the separation line feature won't work for me, so I have to use dashes. Anyone else have this problem?

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Same as every other chapter. Yup.

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**Chapter 24: Revelations**

Master Vrook was sound asleep alone in his chambers. So sound asleep, that he didn't hear or feel the evil presence slinking into his room.

The shadowy hooded figure, with expert stealth, crept up to his bed. The hooded figure bent forward over the Master's sleeping form. It's face passed through a beam of light, revealing the face of an old woman with dark, blind eyes.

Darth Traya knelt over so she was close to the unsuspecting Master. Cautiously she put a hand to Vrook's ear and whispered into it, using both her voice and her mind to channel the message into him. Using an ancient assassin tactic, she used the force to deepen his sleep while keeping his mind aware so she could manipulate him without him knowing. With a voice barely up to a whisper, she spoke.

"_They have betrayed you,"_ she said silently. _"The exile has betrayed the order. He and Revan have allied with the Sith. They have betrayed you." _

The master stirred uneasily.

"_They must be stopped. You alone know this. You must stop them before it is too late." _

With a sly grin, Darth Traya disappeared and drifted out of the room. The task was complete. Vrook already had the inclination in him. All she had to do was give him a little motivation.

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Sion stood in the dark room, the only light coming from the large screen he stood in front of. Flanking him on both sides were two masked Sith furiously working at the computer consoles. Though his face didn't show it, the slightest trace of fear surfaced underneath his scarred exterior. He secretly feared the Dark Lord he was about to talk to, and the fact that he had to give him bad news only made things worse.

The inevitable happened, and Darth Nihilus' dark form appeared on the screen. The unseen eyes beneath his skull-like mask seemed to bore holes into his skull.

"_Yes, Sion?"_ he asked coldly. _"I trust this is important, unless you would be foolish enough waste my time?"_

"My Lord, we have ill news."

"_What ill news? I trust this does not have to do with my artifact?" _

Sion paused uneasily before he spoke again. "Yes, my Lord. It does."

The Dark Lord paused and drew in a long breath. Even though he wasn't with him, Sion could feel the anger emanating off him.

"_What happened to it?"_ he asked flatly.

"My Lord, it was…taken. The Jedi found us here and stole it."

The Sith that were sitting next to him were both flung from their seats into the wall. Nihilus continued to stare at Sion hatefully.

"_Where are they going? For your sake, you had better know." _

"Dantooine, my Lord. We are currently following them there now."

Another moment of uneasy silence passed.

"_I promise you Sion, you will be punished for this. However, I'm going to give you one chance to make it less severe. Find it and bring it back to me." _

"I will, master."

"_Let me make one thing very clear to you Sion, if I do not have that back, you will wish you had died long ago." _

Sion bowed his head. "Master, if you do not mind me asking, how did our attack go?"

A sound that might have been laughter came out of Nihilus. _"As well as I had hoped. The Republic fleet had a very rude awakening. Coruscant should be getting the news of their tragic defeat very soon."_

"Excellent, my Lord."

"_And Sion," _

"Yes?"

"_Change of plans. The fleet and I are going to take a detour to Dantooine. I am going to make sure this creature does not escape. And you had better hope I do not find it before you do." _

"Yes, my Lord."

The screen went blank. Sion angrily stormed out of the room, not even noticing the two Sith who still lay knocked out on the floor.

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The Ebon Hawk hurtled through space toward its destination – Dantooine. However, they still had a while before they got there. All the crew had gathered into the main hold except Atton, who was piloting the ship. In the center of it all stood the gray, blue-eyed figure. Now that they were safe for the moment, it could finally explain everything to them. A thick air of tension hung over the room as it spoke slowly.

"There is a place on Dantooine. A place forgotten by the people who inhabit it. A mountain - one in which no man has gone before, save one. Inside this mountain there are many caves and tunnels. Caverns that lead to hidden places… But one cave is _special_. One cave leads to the device."

"What device?" Quaid asked.

"Hold on," Revan interrupted. "Back up. Where is this mountain? Where on Dantooine?"

The creature focused its large, crystal eyes on him. "At the top of the planet, in the icy regions where no one treads."

"The polar regions," Yuthura clarified.

Revan's mind suddenly flashed back to the vision he had seen on Dantooine before all this had happened. Snow, all around. A mountain. And an entrance to a cavern he had never scene before. Now he had to know what was in there.

"What does this cavern contain?" he asked.

The creature continued to stare at him with eyes that never blinked. "Inside this cave there is a device. One thousand years ago, my father built it in there, where no one would find it. To keep it safe. He tricked the Jedi into believing he had destroyed it, but it was only a fake. The real one still lives. And it is still operational."

"What machine? What is it?" Quaid asked with a hint of impatience.

"Is it not obvious? The device that created me. The device that allows me to live and talk to you now. The device that is now placing all of you in grave danger."

Revan heard Mission gulp.

Revan cleared his throat. "What is it exactly? How does it work?"

"The device utilizes the power of crystals. Ones very similar to what you use for your own lightsabers. And the same ones that make up my own body." With its hand it motioned at the glowing blue crystals that lined its body. It paused to give them a moment to take this in before proceeding.

"The machine works as a huge, superconductive antennae. It is built for the sole purpose of pulling in, holding, and focusing the life energy you call 'the force'. A long time ago, my creator discovered that he could manipulate the force and bent it to his own purpose. It is much like you Jedi do now; only he took it much further. He discovered it could be used to give life. Once enough energy is obtained, it can be directed and forced into whatever he chooses. It took him years to develop his device, and even longer for it to work properly. He was met with many failures. So many that he was tempted to simply give up. But he persisted. Finally, his countless string of failures was finally met with one success: me."

Revan took all of this in, making sure he could take in every detail.

"At long last, my creator had given something life. But it still wasn't quite enough. I was alive, but my mind was not complete. So my father put a piece of himself in me, to make my soul complete. In doing so, I received part of his mind, and with it his memories. Because of this, I know what he did with his machine, and how he created me."

"So, how did you get in that cave?" Revan asked it.

"I was discovered. I will not burden you with details, but in short, the Jedi found out about my father's experiments and immediately put a stop to them. They had him – and me – taken before their council. It was there that they decided I was too much of a threat to live. My life, apparently, was too dangerous to be alive."

Revan could hear the sadness in the creature's voice as it spoke, and he couldn't help feeling sorry for it.

"So they took my life away. Or so they had thought. For the most part, I was dead. But a small part of my soul remained. After that, my father knew the rules, knew what he was supposed to do, but he didn't. He couldn't. He was a fool. A genius, but a fool. My father made them believe he had destroyed his machine, but he had fooled them. He only destroyed one of his earlier prototypes. The real one still stands, and it is still operational." It let out a sigh, or at least as something that could pass off as a sigh. "Afterward, I was kept in a safe place until finally my father died. When he died, he was buried in a remote tomb, and I was buried there with him. With nothing else to do, I slept, slept until something freed me from my undying prison. It was the destruction of Dantooine's surface that finally woke me up again. And not soon after, I sensed you, Revan, and your love. The rest, as you say, is history."

Everyone in the room seemed to be at a loss for words, even Revan.

"Wow," Mission blurted unexpectedly.

"Amazing. I did not think this was possible," Visas remarked.

"You would be surprised what becomes possible with a little persistence," the creature corrected her.

"So I don't understand? Where do we fit into all this?" Mission asked.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Revan said. All eyes in the room focused on him. To emphasize his point, he motioned with his arms at the gray creature. "We've seen what he's capable of. And there is _one_ of him now. What happens if the Sith find him? What if they learn to make more like him?"

"They could make thousands, all of them completely loyal," Quaid spoke what was on Revan's mind.

Revan nodded. He decided to put it into context so everyone could understand just what was going on.

"We've all seen what this creature is capable of," he said to them. "He can wield the force – strongly – and he's had no training in it whatsoever. Imagine if there were a thousand, or maybe a million more of them. Now imagine if they served the Sith. Think about it – an entire army of Dark Jedi, all powerful, easy to produce, no training required, and 100 percent loyal. Don't you think the Sith would at least be slightly interested in acquiring this? I don't think I even need to say that with an army like that…"

"They would be unstoppable," Yuthura finished.

"So what do we do now?" Mission asked with arms folded.

"There's only one thing we can do. We must find the machine and destroy it," Revan answered. He once again turned to the creature. "Can you take us there?"

It nodded. "I know where it is. When we get there, I will take you to it. But we must hurry. We do not have much time. I am sorry, but I am afraid we must do this before…we save your Bastila."

Revan's face remained emotionless, but he gave an understanding nod. "So be it." He raised his voice so everyone would hear him. "We're going to look for this thing as soon as we land on Dantooine. The sooner this device is destroyed, the better. Any objections?"

The room was silent.

"Didn't think so." Having said that, Revan turned and exited the main hold, signaling that this was the end of their little meeting. Nobody minded, they all had a lot to think about. Within moments, everyone left the room, all except one.

---------------------------------------------

It was Revan who came back to the main hold first after everyone had left. That is, aside from T3, who had to pass through the room several times in his maintenance of the ship. When he arrived he was greeted by a peculiar sight – the creature was standing there perfectly still in the same place it had been when Revan had left hours earlier. At first look one would think it was a statue. It had the unique ability to stand perfectly still whenever it wanted, making it seem lifeless except for the faint blue glow of the crystals that lined its body.

It did not acknowledge his presence immediately. Only until Revan approached it did it turn its head slightly in his direction. He had the distinct impression that it was buried very deep in its thoughts. Whatever they were, he also knew they weren't happy thoughts.

"Is there something wrong?" Revan asked it, not in any mood to beat around the bush.

Revan could see the faint trace of a smirk appear on its face.

"A simple question, yet complex," it answered him. "Simple in its nature, yet complex in that it has more than one answer, all of which are complicated."

"Do you like to talk in riddles?" Revan asked with a faint smirk of his own.

"It helps liven the conversation, does it not?"

"Are you going to answer my question, then?"

It let out one of its 'sighs' and lowered its head. "Yes, I am afraid. Many things are wrong."

"Is it something you can tell me?"

"I would not wish too burden you."

"You're not burdening me. I want to help you, if I can. I'd do the same thing with any of my friends."

It seemed rather shocked at this statement. Its eyes actually seemed to widen.

"You…would treat me as one of your friends?"

"Yes. Of course."

"I…thank you. Nobody has ever treated me like an equal before, except my father."

"Well, think of me as your friend. Now, what's wrong?"

"I would not know where to begin, Revan. One cannot be very happy when one knows he is helping others with his own death."

Revan paused. In so many words, this was true. Once they got back to Dantooine, they would destroy the machine, and this thing would give Bastila her life force back. No matter what, it would end in this creature's death. It couldn't have been a very pleasant thought for it.

"I, I'm sorry. I know this must be very hard for you," Revan said apologetically.

"You have no idea. No, it's not very pleasant. But it is to be expected, I suppose."

"Why is that?"

Its head snapped back up at Revan, locking on him with its huge eyes.

"What has my existence been since I was created? My very existence is a mistake. I am a product of a desperate Jedi's experiments. From the very start I could never have a normal existence! I could never feel what others felt, share what others shared! My own life was kept a secret because of what I was! And when I was finally revealed, the Jedi decided that my existence was nothing more than a threat to them!"

Revan noticed the creature's eyes flash from blue to red and back again as it spoke. He could feel anger starting to build up within it.

"I had nobody! My own creator even kept me at arm's length!" it continued. "My only wish when I was created was just to be treated like I was a person, not a mistake. And nothing could ever give me that! All I wanted was to love and be loved in return, as any human would! But I cannot. Those who do not see me as less than human simply see me as a weapon! My very purpose is just to be a tool for everyone around me!"

It was now going into a rant. Its eyes glowed red and sparks of lightning were now crackling around its body. In it's enraged state it actually looked rather frightening. Fearing what might happen, Revan decided to step in before things got out of hand. He took a step forward.

"You're not a tool-"

"Yes I AM!" it roared. "I am not even real! I am made from STONE! I can't even bleed! I feel sadness, yet I cannot cry. Why is that, Revan? Why must I feel emotions like a human if I can't even live as one? It would be better if I had never existed at all!"

"Calm down!" Revan shouted. "Look, I know you're not normal. But that doesn't mean you're worth any less than a human! You're a thinking, feeling being! You deserve to be treated just as well as anyone in this galaxy!"

"That is very easy for you to say. You who have had the blessing of having those who love you. I don't have such a luxury. Admit it, you did not even care about my existence at first, did you? The main reason you wanted to get me back was to save Bastila and your Jedi order!"

That caught Revan off guard slightly. Yes, he had to admit that had been his main motivation in getting this thing away from the Sith. Yes, maybe it was a little selfish. He felt a strange wave of guilt for viewing this creature as just a way to save the galaxy instead of as a real being.

"Yes, I did," Revan admitted. "But that was my mistake, and I see things differently now. I am only human. But that doesn't mean I think you're existence is worthless. That doesn't mean I don't care about you, or that you're nothing more than a tool. I know this must be terrible for you. Believe me, I wish there was some way to get you out of this alive, but I can't see any other way! I wish things could be different, but they aren't! And I truly regret that you had to be put in this position simply because of what you are!"

The creature seemed to have calmed down, and its eyes had now faded back to blue. Its head lowered again.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to feel like you have no identity? To not feel like you have any purpose?"

"No, I don't," Revan said truthfully. "But that does not mean you are alone in this. And even if things seem like you don't have a purpose, that does not mean you can't make one for yourself. You can help us defeat the Sith. You can help us to end this war, I know it. And I am your friend in this, no matter what you are. We all are your friends in this."

It looked back up at him with sad eyes. "If your emotions were not so true, I would say you were simply lying." It paused. "Thank you. But I still cannot help this feeling. It's hard to get rid of these thoughts when you have been treated differently your entire life. I have never been treated as an equal before by anyone except my creator. I do not even have a name."

After a moment of silence, Revan grinned faintly. "Well, that's one thing we can change."

"What?"

"Your name. I can't just call you 'creature' all the time. So why don't we think of a name for you now?"

The creature looked positively dumbfounded. "I…"

"Let's think of a good one. Hmm…" he pondered for a moment. "I know. How about if I call you Saimos?"

"S-Saimos?" it asked shyly. "A name…I have never had a name. My father did not even name me…"

"Yeah. It's a name I remember from my childhood, though I'm not sure where I heard it. But I think it suits you nicely. What do you think of it?"

"Saimos." The creature tested it out its new name. After a moment it smiled and gave a satisfied nod.

"Well, that settles it," Revan said. He extended a hand toward the creature. "Welcome aboard, Saimos."

Saimos took Revan's hand and shook gratefully.

"Thank you, Revan."

Revan and Saimos finally left the main hold, and an hour later Revan found himself in the cockpit.

----------------------------------------

"So what the heck was going on back there earlier?" Atton asked him. "Geez, if I wasn't flying this thing I would've come back there. I actually would have if that shouting kept up."

"Saimos was just venting some steam," Revan said dryly.

"Saimos?"

"Uh, the creature. That's its new name now. And I'd better hear you calling it by its name from now on."

"Okay, geez!" Atton said defensively. "Never said I wouldn't."

"Good."

A loud beeping interrupted their conversation.

"Incoming transmission," Atton informed Revan.

"Patch it in," Revan told him.

A moment later, the blue holo image of Carth appeared on one of the screens. To Revan's shock, he seemed genuinely worried.

"Revan, thank god I got to you," he said anxiously. "It was bad. I don't even know what happened. They must have been planning this all along-"

"Woah! Slow down, Carth! What happened?" Revan asked forcefully.

"The Sith. We attacked their fleet. We thought we'd win. We even had them outnumbered. But we lost. Our entire fleet was just demolished. It wasn't even a battle. It was more like a massacre."

Revan's mouth hung open upon hearing the news. Had he just heard him correctly?

"How did this happen?"

"I don't know. But I need to know, are you heading home now?"

"Yes."

"Good, cause we really need you. The fleet has moved on now, and we've just received confirmation that they're heading for Dantooine."

Revan' eyes widened. No, this couldn't be true.

"They'll be arriving within days."

"Carth, we can't go to Coruscant. We have to go to Dantooine."

"What are you doing?"

"It's kind of hard to explain. I'll have to tell you later. But just trust me, the entire galaxy depends on us getting to Dantooine before the Sith do."

Carth leaned back and sighed. "Alright, Revan. I trust you. Heck, I trust you more than I trust myself. Just take care of yourself."

"We will, Carth. Look, get a fleet ready to be dispatched for Dantooine just in case. But do not have them attack the Sith yet."

"Alright, Revan. Will do."

"Thank you Carth."

"Take care, Revan. Admiral Onasi out."

The screen went blank, and Revan and a dumbfounded Atton stood there in silence.

"Atton," the Jedi finally spoke. "I need to talk to the rest of the crew. No matter what happens, keep this ship headed for Dantooine."

He nodded grimly. "Got it."

With that, Revan dashed out of the cockpit to round up the rest of the crew.

-----------------------------------------

Yeah, I know. I suck at updating. But I hope this chapter was at least half-decent. I also hope Saimos' character was a little more flushed out in this one. One of my regrets about this story is not developing this character more, but I hope this at least helped a bit. As always, please read and review. There's not many chapters left, and I'll try to get these posted as soon as I can, provided school doesn't get too overwhelming.


	26. Chapter 25: Forced Confessions

Disclaimer: 26 Chapters, and I still own nothing!

* * *

**Chapter 25: Forced Confessions**

Thoroughly tired, Atton trudged his way out of the cockpit. He couldn't wait to get to his bunk. He'd been piloting for what seemed like ages and was pretty sure he'd memorized the entire layout of the cockpit by now. At the moment, the Ebon Hawk didn't need his piloting since T3 was handling autopilot, and the only thing he cared about was getting some sleep.

As he slowly stepped into the main hold he got a distinct impression that he was not alone. _Someone_ else was there.

"Atton." A voice came.

The pilot spun around and practically jumped at seeing the two large eyes staring him down.

"Woah! Geez, you scared me," Atton said to it, trying to disguise his shock. Saimos stood there in the dark corner of the room, most of his body shrouded by darkness. The sight of him standing there in the dark, eyes glowing brightly, was downright _eerie_.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean to alarm you."

"Uh, no problem…Saimos? Is that right?"

"Correct."

"Okay, see you later." Atton turned around to head for his cabin. Even though he'd been around that creature for a while, it still sort of gave him the chills.

"Atton." it called out before he could make it two feet.

He cautiously turned around. "What?"

"Come here."

Atton shifted nervously. "Uh, why? Is this something important? I'm really tired-"

"_Come here_," it said more forcefully. It's tone actually seemed slightly threatening.

Atton wasn't sure why, but he felt compelled to obey it. Maybe he was afraid, which wouldn't be a lie. He slowly and cautiously approached, and before he knew it he stood mere feet away from it. It towered over him almost menacingly, its unblinking gaze piercing him to the core.

"The past contains many secrets, Atton," it said to him softly, yet firmly. "Let us see what yours holds."

"Wait, what do you m-" Atton's response was cut off when a weird feeling enveloped him. Suddenly it felt as if some invisible force was wrapping itself around his brain.

"Ah! What are you doing?" he asked while wincing visibly. He instinctively clutched his head with his hands. "Stop it!" He had a strong urge to run away, but his body seemed completely unwilling to respond. Whatever Saimos was doing, he didn't like it.

"Don't struggle," it warned him. Saimos' eyes narrowed in concentration. Atton was now under his control for the moment. Focusing, Saimos looked inside Atton's mind.

"Let me see…" it said slowly. "Just a little further, underneath the barrier. Yes…there lays guilt…much guilt. And regret."

"Stop…" Atton pleaded weakly.

"And what do I see here? Anger. Much of it. And fear. Fear that you will be discovered. Despite this, I also see…hope. A hope that you will be able to redeem yourself. That's why you're here, isn't it?"

Atton didn't respond. He now started swaying dizzily; the effects of having his mind ripped open were now taking their toll. He might have fallen over, but something was holding him up.

"Do not worry, Atton," it continued. "If Revan truly is a Jedi, he will forgive. If he is not…we shall see." He now let go of Atton, who promptly fell to the floor, unconscious.

Saimos knelt and bent over so he was talking into Atton's ear.

"Do not worry, Atton," it repeated. "I will not reveal your secrets. You will do that on your own, or I'll deal with you myself." He knew Atton could still hear him on some subconscious level. "We'll talk about this again soon. Then we'll see where your loyalties truly _lye_."

With a wave of his hand, Saimos levitated Atton's body off the floor and guided it down the corridor toward the dormitory. Saimos forced the door open with his mind and walked in with Atton floating right beside him. The creature guided Atton softly down onto his bunk, making sure he didn't make a noise. Revan, Quaid, and Jolee were all sound asleep and were ignorant of what had just happened. Without saying a word, Saimos turned and proceeded out of the dorm, closing the door behind him as he left.

* * *

Atris could do nothing except nervously pace her quarters. After hearing the news of the Republic's tragic defeat, the Jedi council had been quite alarmed. Her especially, being perhaps the one who had managed to convince them to attack in the first place. Despite the most of the council's insistence that she was not responsible in any way, she still couldn't hold back the feeling of guilt that had come over her. Even worse, she had no idea where Kreia had gone, and now to top everything off, Master Vrook had left. He didn't so much leave as disappear. 

He had left a message for the council saying he had to go somewhere, and that it was very urgent. Without even consulting the council, he just packed up and left. The entire council had sunk into a state of near panic. Of course it didn't show, but to some it seemed like things were now starting to fall apart. Kavar's death, Kreia's disappearance, and now Vrook's leave. What would happen next?

A soft knocking came at her door, momentarily shaking her out of her thoughts.

"Yes? Who's there?" she called out, trying to disguise her nervousness.

There was no answer. Instead, whoever it was knocked on the door yet again.

Not bothering to ask again, Atris walked over to the door and opened it. The sight of who was there almost caused her to jump back in shock.

"K-Kriea?" she asked, mouth hanging open. "What are you doing here?"

The ancient Jedi merely slinked past her and into her dorm. Atris for some reason closed the door behind her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I am sorry, Atris. But I have most urgent news. You are in danger."

"What?"

Kreia turned and faced the white-haired Jedi. "Yes. As you know, I have gone away for a while. But I want you to know it was not without reason."

"You left! You didn't even tell the Jedi what had happened to Kavar!"

"I know, Atris. But let me explain. When you had left, I sensed a presence in this enclave. I fear we are all in danger. The Sith have infiltrated this place. Whoever it was I sensed, they were coming to finish me off. It was one of the Jedi Masters, though I do now know. I was forced to flee. I couldn't come back for fear that they might target me in order to strike at the council."

Atris shook her head. "Kreia, I am not sure of anything anymore. I do not even know if I believe you anymore. Everything has grown so confusing…do you know what just happened?"

"In case you are referring to the Republic's sudden defeat, yes."

"Not just that, but Master Vrook has just disappeared."

Kreia looked shocked. "Is that so? That does not seem like him."

"I know. I fear for our council. Things seem to be falling apart…"

"Do you suppose Vrook could be one of them?" Kreia asked.

Atris looked up in shock. "Vrook? That is not possible! He has been one of our staunchest members since he was elected to council."

Kreia shook her head. "Do not be so quick to assume. I think you should know by now that anything is possible. I fear that if Vrook is indeed working for the Sith, he is only one of many here."

Atris nervously paced her room. "There must be something we can do…perhaps a sweep of the academy. An inquiry…" She paused. "And just what do you intend to do? I trust you're going to reveal yourself to the council."

"That I am not so sure of just yet. Being that my life is in danger, I am not sure if that would be the wisest decision."

"You cannot hide forever! We both have to talk with the council! Something has to be done! After what has happened with the Republic…"

"Which was not your fault, I must point out," Kreia told her.

Atris paused and eyed Kreia. "If you say so. Though I cannot help but feel I am responsible. I also cannot help wondering if I would have convinced the council to take the offensive if I had not talked to you."

At this Kreia merely shrugged slightly. "We can never know. But you could not have known what would have happened."

Atris only looked more disheartened. She faced Kreia once again and looked straight into her eyes.

"Kreia, I must ask you a question. And I want you to give me an honest answer."

She didn't get an answer, however. Kreia stood up suddenly and pointed at the door.

"Someone is here!" she whispered fiercely. "We are being spied on!"

Atris rushed over to the door. She opened it to find a shocked Juhani standing there, looking both surprised and afraid.

"What are you doing here?" Atris asked angrily.

"I…I" Juhani stammered. Her eyes darted between Kreia and Atris.

"It's her!" Kreia pointed. "She was the one who went after me last time!"

"What? What are you talking about?" Juhani protested. She started to back away nervously.

"Is this true, Juhani?" Atris asked angrily.

"No! I-"

"She lies!" Kreia hissed. Atris started to reach for her lightsaber. Juhani beat her to it, and whipped her lightsaber out beforehand and pointed it at the Jedi. Maybe not the smartest thing to do at the moment…

"Please, Master Atris," she pleaded. "I do not know what Kreia is doing, but I did not come here to harm you!"

Atris force-pushed Juhani against the wall, and whipped out her lightsaber. She then lunged at Juhani, who blocked it just in time.

"Do not lie to me!" Atris shouted. "Why were you spying?"

"I…" Juhani was unable to finish her sentence. Atris retracted her lighstaber and swung again at the young Cathar. The two swiftly became locked in a fierce lightsaber duel.

"Please, Master Atris! Stop this madness!" Juhani begged again. The frantic master paid her no heed.

Atris swung fiercely, but Juhani somehow managed to parry every blow. She remained on the defensive. For a moment, it appeared that Atris would overcome the young Cathar. However, she made the mistake of underestimating Juhani's skills with a lightsaber.

Remember some of what Revan had taught her, Juhani side-stepped and twisted her lightsaber around to force Atris's own saber down. In a rather unorthodox move, she swiftly punched Atris on the side of the head with her fist. The blow sent Atris staggering, and Juhani finally decided to take the offensive.

She didn't have the chance, however. A bolt of force-lightning came and hit her on the side, sending her crashing to the floor. Juhani groaned in pain as she felt the burn that surely ran down her side now. Thankfully it hadn't been lethal, most force-lightning wasn't lethal after just one blow. Kreia stood over her mockingly, with lightning crackling at her fingertips. Atris had now walked over and stood over Juhani.

Atris raised her lightsaber to deal the killing blow.

"Master Atris, please don't do this! This is not you!" Juhani begged.

"Kill her," Kreia commanded.

"Master Atris, please! Think about what you are doing! If you do this, you will not be able to go back…"

Atris now hesitated, her resolute face faltered. Juhani looked up at her, the fear in her eyes plain.

"Atris! She lies! Kill her now!" Kreia barked.

Atris raised her blade higher…

* * *

Revan and the rest of the crew were all in the main hold, save for HK-47, T3, and Yuthura. The crew were all sitting around, eating a rather bland breakfast. Normally Atton would be piloting, but Yuthura was giving him a break at the moment. 

Yes, even Saimos was there. And for some reason, Revan noticed Atton glance several times at the creature nervously. He was always a little nervous around the artificial being, but now he seemed even more so than usual. The creature as far as Revan could see, did not acknowledge Atton once.

Ironically enough, Saimos wasn't sitting in his usual corner. He instead was sitting with the rest of the crew. Revan had in fact tried to get it to sit with them, but surprisingly, it did this only after Mission had insisted that it join them. Revan had made it a personal task of his to make Saimos feel as welcomed as he could. At the moment, he was listening to Mission speak endlessly about the worlds she had visited, her friends, and her life on Taris. Surprisingly, Mission seemed quite comfortable around Saimos. Any previous fear she had of it was now gone.

She never ceased to amaze Revan.

"I've never seen any planets except Dantooine," it told Mission. "And Nar-Shadaa."

"Ah. You would love Kashyyk. The trees are a little overwhelming at first, but it's amazing. That's where my friend Zaalbar is now."

"Zaalbar? A wookiee, right?"

"Yup! And he's helping his father rebuild the tribes. Good ol' Z. I'm so proud of him."

"And do you miss your friend?" Saimos asked her.

"Yeah," Mission sighed. "But I know I'm gonna see him. Hopefully once this thing with the Sith blows over." She sounded rather depressed at the last part.

"Do not worry, Mission. I am sure you will see him again soon," Saimos told her in a surprisingly comforting voice. "I sense not only wisdom in you, but a lot of bravery and persistence, especially for one your age."

Mission seemed rather shocked. "Really?"

Saimos nodded with a slight grin.

"Gee…thanks." She paused. "I like your eyes too, by the way."

Now Saimos looked shocked. "Really?"

Mission nodded. "Yup. I think they're kinda cute."

"Um…thanks."

Mission chuckled. "No problem. Anyway, as I was saying…"

Revan momentarily stopped listening to look over at Atton again. He definitely seemed on edge. Revan could tell that something was bothering him. He briefly recalled what the two Twi'leks had told him on Nar-Shadaa. He decided then and there he would find out exactly what was going on. But that would have to wait just a little later.

* * *

Atton was now back in the cockpit, which had become all too familiar for him. Although for once, he found himself a little glad to be there. Anywhere away from Saimos was good enough for him. Despite trying to concentrate on piloting, he couldn't stop thinking about what the creature had done to him the night before. He didn't no how it did it so easily, but he definitely knew he didn't like it knowing about his past. 

When he saw a shadow loom over him, he practically jumped out of his seat. He spun around and his worst fears were realized when he saw two blue eyes looking down at him.

"Wha-what do you want?" he asked it nervously. That was another thing he hated – how that thing was able to sneak up on him without even making a sound.

"I'm only here to remind you," it told him menacingly. "You are going to tell Revan the truth. _Everything_. And if you really do fear me, you'll do it before we reach Dantooine."

Atton raised his hands weakly. "Look, I'm not looking for trouble. I'm on your side. I won't hurt anyone, I promise…"

Saimos shook his head. "That's not good enough. You must tell Revan. If you are ever to be worthy of his trust, you must do that. And believe me when I say this: running from your past will not erase, nor make it any better. If you want to redeem yourself, you must first face your past."

Atton lowered his head in defeat. "Alright. Though, what if he decides to…I don't know."

"I cannot tell you what he'll do. I do not think he'll kill you; Revan has let his enemies live before. But this is your duty. I will not do this for you. I know you're afraid of Revan. But as I said, if you fear _me_, you will do this."

Atton sighed and nodded. "Okay. I'll do it."

Saimos grinned ever-so-faintly and took a step back. "Good." He was about to turn to leave, but stopped. "And Atton…"

"Hmm?'

"I must tell you that I am willing to put your past behind us. I know how we are so different, but I would rather we be friends in this. If you are willing, then so am I."

Atton sat silently as he seemed to think about what had just been said. He didn't get a chance to respond, however, as Saimos turned and left without saying another word.

It wasn't very long until Revan stepped back into the cockpit, with a rather inquisitive look on his face. "What just happened? I saw Saimos coming out of the cockpit not five minutes ago and he the weirdest grin on his face. I asked him about it but he wouldn't say anything. He only told me to ask you if I was curious."

Atton let out a very long sigh. He wasn't ready for this. But this had to be done. He knew Revan was starting to get suspicious of him as well.

"Look, Revan," he said while spinning around in his chair to face him. "We need to talk. I mean, like now."

"Is this important?"

"It's very important," Atton assured him.

"Alright, sure. We can talk." Revan folded his arms and leaned against the wall.

Atton drew in a breath and folded his hands. "Look Revan, I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell you this, but I can't really keep this a secret any longer."

Revan said nothing.

"Thing is, Revan, that uh, I haven't been completely honest with you about my past."

"Oh really?" Revan asked him. Though his tone indicated that he wasn't surprised.

"Yeah and…well, first of all, this is very serious, and I need you to listen to me closely." He took another breath before moving on.

"First of all Revan, I need you to know that I never intended on harming you or any one of your friends. I came with you cause I was hoping to turn over a new leaf. And I gotta tell you, my past is pretty dang gruesome.

"I have been there before, Atton," Revan said calmly. "Try me."

"Revan, I lied when I said I was a Republic soldier. Well, I was a soldier at one point, but only for a little bit. I…I was a Sith."

Revan's eyes widened slightly, but beyond that he made no move.

"Yes, I was a Sith. After the Mandalorian Wars I wondered around a bit, but when the Sith returned, I joined them. I…served Malak during the Jedi Civil War."

"And just what did you do?" Revan asked. His voice still remained emotionless, which actually ended up making Atton even more nervous.

"The Sith hired me as an assassin and an interrogator," Atton began. "Everyone said how Jedi are hard to kill, but for some reason, I found it easy. Slip a little poison in their food, plant a detonator in their quarters; I was _good_ at it. Then there were those that the Sith had me interrogate. You probably know all about the Sith torture techniques. Well, I took part in it. I tortured Jedi to break their will, and I was good at it. And I liked it, Revan! _I liked it_!" He looked at his hands as if he couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth.

"So what happened?"

Atton took another breath. "There was this…girl. One of the Jedi I captured. I took her back to the Sith after I captured her so I could torture her for information. It started off easily enough, but there was something different about her. She started off with her usual Jedi talk, trying to get me to turn away from the dark side, to redeem myself, all that stuff. And I ignored her, of course. But she just wouldn't stop. I tried everything I could on her. I tried to get the information I wanted, but she wouldn't brake. And every time I tried harder, she did the same. It…it didn't feel right."

He rubbed his face in his hands as he took a moment to pause. Revan noticed his hands were trembling slightly.

"I tried to make her hate me," Atton said. His voice was now starting to pick up volume. "I tried to get her to at least be angry with me, but she didn't. No matter what I tried, she refused to be angry. She refused to hate me. She said…she said she felt sorry for me. Ironic, huh? She was the one strapped to a table, being tortured, and she said she felt sorry for _me_. And then she did the weirdest of all things. She told me that I wasn't evil, that I didn't know any better. She told that to me while I was pumping near-lethal bolts of electricity into her!"

"Do you think she was telling the truth?"

"How could it be true, dammit? I knew what I was doing! I knew I was hurting her, that what I was doing was wrong. But I still did it! Before I knew it, I was torturing her just to get her to _stop_ talking! I don't know what it was, maybe it was anger, maybe despair, but I wouldn't stop. And finally, before I knew it…she was dead. I tortured her to death."

Revan shook his head in a way that made Atton cringe. "Atton…"

"But that wasn't the worst part…right before she died, she did something I never forgot."

"What?"

"She…she forgave me." There was a long pause. "It was the last thing she ever said." And then, after that…I just felt different. I never felt the same after that." Atton shook his head again. "I never tortured anyone after that. I just…couldn't. Her words ended up haunting me. Finally, I left. I left the Sith. Left my past."

"What happened then?"

"Well, first I went into hiding. Seeing how I was wanted by the Republic and the Sith, I decided it'd be best to lay low. Then as you know, the Sith got defeated. I drifted for a while, not sure what to do or where to go. I ended up on Nar-Shadaa. I was pretty much starving and homeless. That was where I ran into the Exchange. I don't know, maybe I felt like I had to be a criminal, or something. But I took a job with them. I didn't want to do anymore killing, so I just went into smuggling. It went fine, paid pretty well, that is until I got caught. Then, of course, I ran into you."

Revan sighed. "Atton, why didn't you tell me this?"

"I don't know…I couldn't! I mean, if you were I, how do you think a Jedi'd react to knowing he was harboring a former Sith torturer? I admit I was kinda afraid for my _life_."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that."

"What?"

"I won't kill you, Atton. Or turn you in. Your secret's safe with me."

Atton gaped in awe. "You…you mean it? Why?"

"First Atton, tell me, why did you come with us?"

"Because I was sick of running, sick of being a menace to society. Yeah I got a little tired of being in prison, but that was only part of it. I thought that if I followed you, I might have a chance of starting over. Turning over a new leaf, you know? I thought with you, I could at least make something of myself. Do at least a little good. So I came with you."

Revan approached Atton so he was standing right over him. "Look at me," he commanded. Atton obeyed.

"I forgive you," Revan said softly, but firmly. Atton looked at him in shock.

"Really? Why?"

"Atton, we all deserve a second chance in our lives. Look at me, I'm living proof of that. Not many people get that chance. Just look at my past. You know what I've done. But I've been forgive for so many crimes, so many atrocities. It would be wrong and hypocritical of me to not forgive you as well. If I can have that right, so can you."

Atton stood up weakly. "Thanks… So, what now?"

"I won't have you tell the others, yet. But I want you to know, that I'm willing to put this behind us. The past is in the past. For now, we have to focus on the future." He extended a hand to Atton. "So, friends?"

After pausing for a moment, Atton took it and shook gratefully. "Friends."

Revan smiled warmly and nodded. "Alright. I'll let you go for now. Come to me if anything else you need to talk about."

"Will do. Oh and Revan?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

* * *

Atton returned to his usual routine of piloting, but for the first time in a while, did so happily. He had been dreading revealing his past, but now it felt great, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. It felt great. 

"So?" asked a voice, causing Atton to jump again. He turned around in his seat.

"You know, you get really annoying when you do that?" he told the creature.

Saimos merely smirked in response. "Well?"

Atton sighed. "I told him."

"And?"

"He…forgave me. Everything's fine."

Saimos nodded contentedly. "Good. I am glad this worked out for you. I will leave you now." He turned to leave, but Atton stopped him.

"Saimos, wait." The creature stopped and turned around.

"I just wanted to say, about what you said earlier…" Atton stood up. The creature still creeped him out a little, but he found he wasn't as afraid of it as he was.

"I just wanted to say, thanks. And if you wanna be friends, then I have no problem with that." He offered Saimos his hand, and he shook it.

"Thank you, Atton." Not needing to say anything else, Saimos turned and headed out the cockpit.

Well, he couldn't' do much as of now. But Saimos had decided to take Revan's advice to heart, and at least make a purpose for himself in the little time he had left. But he still had things to do. Walking slowly up to the female's dormitory, he stopped at it and rapped slightly at the door.

"Visas, are you there? I need to speak with you."

* * *

Yeah, I know, I'm evil. Stupid cliffhangers. Well, don't worry, hopefully the next chapter will be up in a couple weeks. And hopefully they'll finally reach Dantooine come next chapter. This is gonna be a 30+ chapter fic, I can tell. As always, let me know what you think. 


	27. Chapter 26: Countdown

Nope, I still own nothing!

Just a note, be prepared for a lot of rambling later in this chapter. If you're anxious to hear a lot of explanations that are important to the plot, by all means read it. If not, then you might just want to skip a bit. :P Um, Exile/Visas fans, hold your breath.

* * *

**Chapter 26: Countdown**

"Atris! She lies! Kill her now!" Kreia barked.

Atris raised her blade higher…

"Atris! Stop!" a voice commanded.

Atris and Kreia both spun around to see Master Vash, Master Vandar, and a squad of Jedi Knights gathered in the hallway. All of them had their lightsabers drawn and were poised for combat. Atris and Kreia both looked shocked.

"Atris, drop it now," Master Vash commanded again.

Atris looked to Vash then down at Juhani. "You…you…" she stuttered.

"Don't touch her. It's a good thing she called for backup as soon as she heard you and Kreia, or else we might not have made it in time." Vash explained.

"Atris, how far you've fallen," Master Vandar lamented. "But you are the one responsible for this, Master Kreia. Or should I say Darth Traya?"

Kreia looked bewildered. "How…how did you know?"

"Master Kavar was barely alive when we found him, Traya," Vandar explained. "But you didn't kill him immediately as you no doubt intended. He was able to tell us the truth before he passed."

Kreia backed away but kept her eyes focused on the crowd. "Atris, don't give in to them. If you do, they'll kill you. You know this."

"Atris, do not listen to her! It's not too late for you! You can come back to us!" Vash pleaded.

"Jedi lies," Kreia mocked. "You know this, Atris."

Atris looked from Kreia to the crowd of Jedi, then at Juhani who was still lying on the floor. Then a horrible realization came to her. She had caused the death of a Jedi Master. She had maybe caused the death of hundreds of Republic soldiers. And now, she had come perilously close to murdering an innocent victim in cold blood. No, perhaps she could not be forgiven. But…

She switched off her lightsaber and dropped it on the floor. "I…I surrender."

Traya gave her a venomous scowl. "You weak, pathetic fool. You are no better than the rest. Now, you will die along with the others!"

"Kreia!" Vandar snapped. "Your treachery has already cost us many lives. Thousands more are now at risk! But you can save them! Surrender now, and you can help us defeat the Sith! You can help us end this war!"

The Sith Lord cackled. "Spare me your pity, Jedi fool! I have no use for it!"

A wave of lightning erupted from her fingertips and struck the crowd of Jedi. Only Master Vash and Vandar parried it in time, but the rest of the unfortunate Jedi Knights were burned. Kreia seized the opportunity to make a getaway.

"Vash, make sure they aren't hurt. I will follow her!" Vandar commanded. He pursued the fleeing Sith Lord down the hall. He followed her quickly through the winding corridors of the academy until at last he found himself in a familiar place – the Council Room. In the middle of it stood Kreia with her red lightsaber drawn and grinning wickedly.

"This is it, Kreia. You cannot run anywhere," Vandar said sternly.

She laughed again. "You can kill me. But your order is finished. The Republic as you know it is doomed. Your own weakness in apathy will be your downfall."

"Kreia, you have fallen to the dark side. That path only leads to downfall, for you and the Sith."

"You fool. There is no dark side, or light side. There is only the force, and those who are strong enough to command it properly."

"That is a lie, Kreia. That is the dark side's greatest weapon – to make you believe it does not exist and that you can control it."

"I have had enough of you. I have heard enough lies from you and your council, you and your hypocrisy. The Jedi had their chance, but they will be replaced soon."

"Kreia, this is your last chance. Surrender now, and you can live. If you don't, then this can only end in death"

"So be it." Kreia lunged at Vandar and swung her lightsaber hard. The small Master parried her blow and countered with one of his own. The Sith Lord and Jedi Master dueled fiercely in the center of the large room, their motions a virtual blur of red and blue.

Traya launched wave after wave of ferocious attacks, but Vandar held his own. He was very quick, especially due to his size, and she had a difficult time landing a blow on his small frame. Vandar swung up and his lightsaber would have cut right through Traya's face had she not blocked it in time. The Sith lord was now starting to get frustrated and was now starting to falter in her attacks. Vandar seized an opening and thrust his lightsaber at her. Traya sidestepped and attempted to strike back, but Vandar was too quick. Before she could react, his lightsaber came up and slashed through her wrist. Before she knew what happened, Kreia saw her own hand lying on the floor, still gripping her lightsaber.

The Sith Lord let out a groan of pain and backed away. Vandar kept his lightsaber pointed at her.

"I warned you, Kreia. The fight is mine. Now stop this before it's too late."

"Never."

"Kreia, do not make me do this. Enough have died already!"

Kreia tried to send a wave of lightning at Vandar, but the small master blocked and absorbed the bolts. He responded by launching a force-whirlwind that picked Kreia up off her feet, spun her, and dropped her to the floor in a heap.

Vandar leapt over to her collapsed form and pointed his blue blade at her throat.

"Stop! Enough! I surrender!" she pleaded.

Vandar backed away and slowly switched off his lightsaber. Behind him, he heard the sound of Vash's squad entering the room. Slowly, Vandar turned his back.

Seeing him off guard, Kreia reached down and drew a sharp object – a poisoned Echani vibroblade, and lunged at Vandar.

With blinding speed, Vandar re-ignited his lightsaber, twisted around to avoid the blade, and swung his lightsaber in a single, graceful arc. When all was done, Kreia now lay on the floor with both hands and a head missing.

"Why, Kreia?" Vandar whispered sadly.

"Vandar! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Vash called.

Vandar shook his head. "I am alright. Just…call the council and get help. We need to move the body. Where is Atris?"

The white-cloaked Master slowly stepped forward.

"Master Vandar…I am so sorry," she whimpered, now very close to tears. "I have wronged you, the council, and the Republic terribly. I…I do not deserve to be a Master anymore. I do not deserve to live."

Vandar approached the grieving Master. "No, Atris. It is not too late for you. We can still end this. The war is not finished yet."

"But I have done so much! I have fallen so far! There is no way I can be forgiven!"

Vandar shook his head. "Yes, you did a wrong, Atris. And yes, you will be punished for it. But you are not lost to us. You can still have a second chance. We all deserve one. Revan, Bastila, and you. Help us, Atris. Show us you are sorry. Show us you are a Jedi. Come back to us."

Atris fell on her knees and now silent tears were streaming down her face. "I…will you take me back? Can you ever forgive me?"

"That I can, Atris. And that I do. Just do not make the same mistake twice. Prove to us that you are not lost to us. Show that you truly do serve the light. Do that, and I promise you will be forgiven."

"What can I do? How can I ever right my wrongs?"

"You can start by helping us. And you can start by telling us the truth. You can tell us what really went on between you and Kreia. And you can help us fight the Sith."

Atris bowed her head. "I promise, I will do that. I promise. I…I thank you, Master Vandar."

The small Jedi smiled warmly. "Arise, Master Atris. Welcome back."

* * *

"Visas, are you there?" Saimos called again. The door to the female dorm slid open, revealing not just Visas but the Exile as well. They were both alone, Mission and Yuthura were both in the garage for some unknown reason. Both seemed rather shocked at seeing the creature in the doorway.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I hope I'm not interrupting something…" Saimos apologized.

Quaid blinked and shook his head. "What? Oh, no Saimos. It's fine. We were just talking."

"Yes," Visas nodded.

"Well I'm sorry to interrupt, but I needed to speak with you, Visas. It is very urgent."

"Why? What is wrong?" Visas asked.

"Nothing presently. But I need to talk with you about…your Master."

Visas glanced with her blind eyes at Saimos then at the exile. "Very well."

"Is this only between you and her?" Quaid asked.

Saimos shook his head. "No, Quaid. You can be present if you wish. It is probably better this way, you may need to tell Revan something after we have finished."

Saimos entered in and Quaid shut the door behind him. He and Visas then sat down on one of the bunks, while Saimos stood in the center facing them.

"You can sit down if you want," Visas offered. Saimos shyly took her offer and sat down on one of the adjacent bunks. A moment of silence passed before the creature finally spoke.

"Visas, I know this will be hard for you," it began. "I need you to tell me about your past. I need you to tell me about how you met your master and what you know about him. And I need for you to tell me what powers he possessed that have allowed him to seize power."

Visas meekly lowered her head and took a deep breath.

"I know this will be hard for you," Saimos repeated. "But I need to know this. Please."

Visas raised her head and straightened out. "Very well."

And so the former Sith spoke and poured out her past to the creature who listened silently, speaking only when he had a question. Visas told about her past and her training on Dantooine, and her friendship with Bastila Shan and her eventual move to Katarr. When she reached the part about the destruction of Katarr, Visas couldn't stop her tears from coming, and frequently had to pause to cry out her pain before going on. More than once she found herself crying into Quaid's shoulder while he held her in a comforting embrace.

'_How I wish I could cry,'_ Saimos thought sadly as she wept.

Finally Visas told about how Darth Nihilus had found her and had twisted her mind. She told how she fell to the dark side and grew to hate life, and how served as Nihilus' top assassin during her days with the Sith. She also told about Nihilus himself and what she knew of his origins, as well as how he had originally seized power.

When she was finally done speaking, Saimos appeared to be buried deep in thought.

"And you do not know how your master possesses this power of his? How he is able to wipe out and absorb life on such a large scale?"

Visas nodded. "I do not know how. But I know that he can and he uses it frequently. It is how he was also able to defeat the Republic fleet. It is also what gives him strength."

Saimos pondered for a little longer. His false eyes seemed to be alive with thought.

"It seems that your master is like me."

"What?" Visas and Quaid asked in unison.

"Your master. He seems to be able to steal life from others at will in order to fuel himself, the same ability I possess. It seems to me that your master has developed a way to feed on the life-force others. You mentioned that he, like the exile, was present at Malachor V. Malachor V was a cataclysmic tragedy, but even worse for force-sensitives as they are in touch with the aura of all living beings. Thus, Quaid and Nihilus could both feel the pain of all those who had died at Malachor. It also seems to me that he and Quaid developed a different way of coping with it."

"How so?" asked Quaid, now a little curious at having been brought into the conversation.

"Quaid, you, Visas, Bastila, and even Nihilus all share something – and that is the ability to form connections to the lives around you. Quaid of course can form force-bonds more easily than most. During Malachor, the pain you, Quaid, felt was so great you needed a way to deal with it. So you cut yourself off from the force. However, in doing so, you also opened yourself up. When you re-connected, your connection to the force was also changed. You were now much more sensitive to life. You can feel what others feel, their pain becomes your pain, and their happiness becomes your happiness. It is much like the bond Revan and Bastila share, though not quite as strong."

He shifted his gaze to the crimson-cloaked Visas.

"Visas, you also have that connection, but in a different way. You can feel others and see into their souls. This goes beyond more than just the force-sight of your race. You can read the minds and souls of others. You can judge motives and character, all with a mere glance. When you see someone, you see not just their physical appearance, but also the content of their character. It is what also allowed you to trust the exile so easily when he spared your life."

"Bastila also has that connection. As you may have known already, it is what allows her to influence others. It is what makes her so skilled at Battle Meditation."

"And finally, Visas, that brings me to your master. He too has that connection, but in a different way. When Malachor happened, he needed a way to cope. Though unlike Quaid, who formed a 'shell' around himself, Nihilus opened himself up and allowed the pain to pierce and pass through him. Although that allowed him to cope with it, it also opened him up. His presence became an open sore, almost a wound in the force. He became a vacuum. Because of this vacuum, he leeched onto the life-force of others in order to sustain himself."

"Over time he developed and honed this technique, until he was able to form stronger connections and on a much broader scale. He did it to the point to where he was able to drain entire worlds of their life in order to make himself stronger. It is the same thing he did just recently when the Republic fleet tried to defeat his fleet. Nihilus latched onto them and drained them all of their life. He can do this at will, and it is what allows him to influence others and keep control over the Sith. The being Sion, the one who serves him, is a product of what Nihilus can also do with his powers. He trapped Sion in a state between death and life, where Sion is a virtual shell of a being, whose soul belongs to Nihilus. It is how Nihilus can control Sion, and how Sion can remain alive even when he should be dead."

"Amazing…" Quaid whispered. "It all connects…I never would have thought."

"But there is one thing I don't understand," Visas asked. "Why me? Why did my Master spare me? Why did he not kill me as well?"

"Visas, you are very skilled in the force and you made a very good assassin for him. But I think your talents are only part of the reason he spared you. Of course, your mind was young, fragile, and more malleable, which made you an even better prospect for a servant. However, I believe there is something else which Nihilus never told you. I believe he didn't kill you because he **couldn't**."

"_What_?" Visas asked in shock.

"Yes. Nihilus killed his victims by latching on to them, then absorbing their essence into himself. However, as I said, you have a connection to the life around you. Nihilus saw this and new. You could connect to him as well. When he tried to absorb you, you two unintentionally became bonded. So Nihilus could not consume you, or else he would end up hurting himself. However, he didn't kill you because he knew he could exploit this bond. It was also this bond that allowed him to warp your mind more easily. He knew that you and he would be connect also, and he would know of your actions though you did not know his. It is how he was able to sense your betrayal as soon as you vowed to follow Quaid and leave the Sith."

Visas' mouth hung open in shock. She never would have believed the truth. But now, it made sense. There was one thing left now…

"So, how can we use this to fight him?" Visas asked.

"When the time comes, it may be you and Quaid who have to fight Nihilus. With your connections, he will be unable to consume you. He is still very powerful, but he will not be able to absorb you, at least not easily. If we can exploit this, then it is possible we can defeat Nihilus. I see know other alternative. While he is like me in that he can absorb lives, he cannot maintain and hold it, as I can. Therefore, he has to repeatedly replenish himself, or he would quite literally starve to death. Although he does not have to eat very often, and when he consumes entire worlds like he did with Katarr, he does not have to eat for a _very_ long time. And like me, he cannot be killed through conventional means. His connection to the force must be severed before we can kill him. If we can momentarily sever his connection with the souls he has absorbed, then kill him, he will be finished."

"Well, it's a long shot. But I'm in," Quaid said firmly. "And you?"

"I knew that you and I would meet Nihilus again, and I was right. I would not do it any other way. Wherever our path takes us, I am ready. And I will do it by your side, Quaid." Quaid took notice of the fact that she referred to Nihilus as 'Nihilus', and not as 'master'.

Saimos smiled faintly. "Very well. We will discuss this Revan later. But for now, we must rest. I will leave you two now." The creature slowly stood up and exited the room.

Visas and Quaid sat there for a moment in silence. Finally Quaid spoke up.

"I never would have thought about it. But if we had never met Saimos, then we might have never known how to defeat Nihilus. Then all would have been lost."

"The Force works in mysterious ways, exile. Perhaps he was resurrected for a reason. Perhaps it was all meant to be."

"I think you're right, Visas. Tell me, what do you see when you look at him?" Quaid asked curiously.

"He is…different. When I look at a normal being, I see them and their connection to the force. But his aura is different. When I look at him, it's almost as if he is not truly a separate being. It is a little like Nihilus. When I see him, it's as if he is part of the force and the force is a part of him, as if they are just one being. Yet I also see a thinking, living being. He has his own soul, but it is almost as if it is already one with the force but just acting through his body. It is very…unique."

"Hmm. Interesting." Quaid looked over at her. "And tell me, what do you see when you see me?"

The Miraluka faced him and stared with unseen eyes. "I see…a person whom I can trust. I see a great leader, but also a great friend. I see someone who cares about those around him, and whose heart is pure. I see a greatness."

Quaid reached over and delicately traced his fingers over one of her cheeks. "Visas, I…"

"You do not have to say anything. It is the truth. And I must tell you, Quaid, how much I thank you for all you've done for me."

"What? What did I do for you?" he asked.

"With the destruction of my home world, I had given up. I had forgotten my past, I forgot my friends, and I even forgot who I was. I felt I could no longer be anything but what my former master wanted me to be. But you showed me something else. You showed me that I did have a choice. And when I thought no one would ever accept me again, you did what I thought was impossible. You accepted me. When I had fallen, you did what I thought no one would do. You dared to care for me, Exile. And that touched me more than you could ever know. You gave me…hope. A hope that I could redeem myself. A hope that all was not lost, that life was still precious…that there were still things worth living for. When you spared me, Quaid, you saved my life in more ways than one. And for that, you have my eternal thanks. And I don't think I shall ever be able to repay you."

Quaid felt a sad smile spread over his face. "Visas…you don't ever have to repay me. Seeing you happy is repayment enough. I only want what's best for you. And if you ever need a friend, I'm always here for you."

"Thank you. And I too am glad you see me that way. But tell me exile, what do you see when you look at me?"

"I see a wonderful person. I see a young woman who cares deeply about life, even if she does not think she does. I see a great friend and a terrible enemy. More than that, I see someone whom I too can trust. And I mean it, Visas. I would trust you with my life. Visas, you have a good heart. And you are a strong, amazing person. Don't let _anyone_, even me, tell you otherwise."

Visas seemed slightly taken aback. "I…did not know you thought of me that way. Nobody has ever said that to me before…thank you." Her blind eyes were starting to water underneath her veil.

"Visas, why do you wear that thing" Quaid asked.

"It is a veil typically worn by my people. It is mostly to conceal my eyes."

"But why? You don't need to hide yourself. You don't have to be so meek."

"I…nobody ever seemed to care what I looked like. And being a Miraluka, my eyes are not fully developed. Most would consider my eyes to be strange. So I just wear it."

"Then, would you at least let me see what you look like?" Quaid asked humbly. "You do not have to if you don't want to."

"No, it is okay," Visas assured. She put her hands to her veil, but seemed hesitant, almost shy. Finally, she slowly pulled the veil over and off her head. Her hair, which had been held in place, now fell down to her shoulders.

Quaid stared at her in awe. He had considered her attractive before, but now that he could really see her, she was _beautiful_. Her face was practically flawless. Her black hair hung in shiny tresses down to her shoulders. Her eyes, as he expected, were a milky white. She could not see, so her eyes had never fully developed. But he found he did not care. They did not take away from her attractiveness at all.

Visas seemed to know he was staring, for she suddenly grew timid and sought her veil's concealing affects again. Quaid however stopped her before she could put it back on.

"Don't. You don't have to do that," he assured her. "Visas, you're beautiful."

Visas timidly shook her head. "I…I'm not beautiful."

Quaid placed a hand on her shoulder and used the other to raise her head so she was looking at him.

"But you are."

Visas stared at him dumbstruck, but finally a genuine smile spread across her face.

"Quaid," she said. "I wish I could see you."

Quaid reached down and took her hands in his. "Visas, do you want to know what I look like?" he asked. She nodded. "Here, go ahead."

He raised her gloved hands to his face so she was touching him. He let go and she slowly traced the outline of his face with her hands. After a moment, she removed her gloves so she could see what he felt like. Ever so slowly, she felt and traced every curve, every surface of his face, drawing his picture in her head. Then, for just a moment, their minds touched. For a moment, Visas was opened up to Quaid's mind and could see as he saw. And in that moment, she saw him. She could see his face; the color of his skin; the deepness of his eyes. He was as handsome as she imagined him to be. She saw his smile, and that made her smile even wider.

Both of them were now aware that their faces were practically touching. Both their hearts raced, neither of them sure what to do at this point. It was as if they were no longer in control of their bodies. Before they knew, their lips met in a blissful, loving kiss. It was shy at first, but they both quickly gained confidence and deepened it. Visas' arms instinctively snaked around Quaid's neck and pulled him close. Quaid responded by wrapping his own arms around her waste tracing circles along her lower back. Neither one of them tried or even wanted to stop. Sure it was sudden, but it felt right. Oh Force, it felt so right…

* * *

As Revan walked toward his dormitory through the garage, he noticed Saimos standing next to the window and stopped. The creature was looking out the window at the passing space, his eyes looked as if they were deep in thought.

"There you are. Where have you been?" Revan asked curiously.

"Just…making a purpose for myself," Saimos answered. This remark caused Revan to smile warmly. "And you may want to talk to Quaid and Visas. They probably have important information to tell you."

"Hmm. Okay, I'll do that. By the way, what are you thinking about?"

Saimos shrugged. "We will be on Dantooine very soon. The culmination of all that we have been working for is now coming upon us, Revan. Soon, battle will be upon us. Then, we will have to decide who we truly are."

"You sound a little worried, my friend."

The creature smirked. "Why would I worry? If we lose, I become a tool of the Sith and bring about the destruction of the Jedi. If we win, I die."

Revan felt the pains of guilt and sympathy fill his gut. He could only imagine what must be going through Saimos' head. "Saimos…I'm sorry. I wish things were different."

"Don't be. Though I'm convinced my re-awakening was on accident, it is probably better this way." He paused. His voice seemed to falter. "Tell me, Revan…will I dream?"

Revan walked forward and placed a reassuring hand on Saimos' shoulder. "Saimos, you are a thinking, living being. You have a soul. Death will not be the end for you."

Saimos slightly lifted his head. "I have been near death before. But near death is not true death."

"Saimos, there is no death…"

"There is the force," the creature finished with a smirk.

"Even though your body might die, your soul will live on. I know you have one. Death will be just another step for you." He paused and bit his lip. "I've heard stories before, how some souls come back after they die, how some come back to life in a different form. Sometimes if the person did not live a true life, the force gave them another opportunity."

"So are you saying…I could be reborn?"

"I don't see why not. It could happen. You deserve that, Saimos. You deserve another chance to live."

"Hmm…I don't know. If such a thing were possible, I do not think I would mind being brought back as a human. Though I also would not mind being an animal, perhaps as one of your species of birds. Tell me, do you think that is strange?"

An image of a bird flashed through Revan's mind. A bird flying high, near the sun, wild and free. "No, I don't think that's unusual at all," Revan said. "Saimos, whatever happens, I'll never forget you. You'll always be a friend to me. And to the others. We'll never forget you. You've helped all of us in more ways than you know."

Saimos turned so he was facing Revan, a warm smile spread across his artificial face. "Thank you, Revan…my friend."

* * *

Finally, a familiar sight came to the Ebon Hawk – a calm, fertile world. Dantooine.

"This is it," Revan said to the entire crew who were in the main hold. "It's gonna be tough. But if we're quick and play our cards right, we can end this right now. But we can only do this together. I'm going to need all of you to help on this."

"We'll never leave you, Revan. We'll fight by your side until the end," Quaid said.

"Revan!" Atton called from the cockpit. "Quick, you gotta come see this."

Revan rushed to the cockpit to see what was the matter.

"Revan, the Ebon Hawk has picked up a signal. It's the Sith fleet. They're headed here…and they'll be here _soon_."

"Damn," Revan cursed. This would be a race to the end. There would be no room for mistakes here. "Atton, set a course for the polar regions. We're going to have to do this fast." He quickly ran back to the main hold.

"Guys, the Sith are on their way. I was hoping we could avoid fighting them for a while, but I guess we're gonna have to."

"They can bring it on!" Mission shouted. "I'm not afraid of them! They'd better watch out for _us_!"

"Here here," Jolee agreed silently.

"Exclamatory: Oh, I am looking forward to the prospect of combat, Master! My blaster has all but cooled down after our last battle. I am already quivering with excitement at the thought of spilling meatbag bodily fluids again!"

"Well, HK, you'll get your chance," Revan said. "You'll all get your chance."

Saimos stepped forward. "We are in this together. Until death." He outstretched his hand and put in the center of the group. Slowly, Revan stretched out his hand and placed it on top of Saimos's. Mission reached out her hand and did the same. Then Quaid, then Visas, then Yuthura, then Jolee.

"Until death!" they shouted in unison as the Ebon Hawk hurtled into Dantooine's atmosphere.

* * *

Oooh! The suspense builds! Countdown to zero hour! Well, what did you think? You know what to do, press go at the bottom of the screen and submit a review. I notice a lot of people are reading this story, but not many are reviewing. **Please**, if you're reading this, at least let me know what you think, even if you've only read this one chapter. (anonymous reviews are accepted, in case you didn't know) Thanks for reading this, and hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. 


	28. Chapter 27: Into the Dark

I own nothing. Leave me alone.

* * *

**Chapter 27: Into the Dark**

Revan had left the rest of the crew to get ready inside his own dormitory. Currently, he was the only one there as Quaid, Jolee, and Atton were elsewhere. He gathered his lightsabers and other equipment he was going to need. Then, an idea occurred to him and he went to his bed and pulled out a trunk from underneath. Taking a breath, he opened up the trunk and revealed its familiar contents. Inside the trunk was what appeared to be a white uniform of sorts. The uniform contained everything from gloves, to an armored torso, a hooded cape, and even a mask.

It was his Star Forge robes, the same uniform he had worn during the epic battle on the Star Forge and his fight with Malak. He hadn't worn it since, but had always kept it with him. He figured now was as an appropriate time to where it anyway. The uniform itself was actually almost an exact duplicate of the armor he had worn during his days as a Sith Lord. Only instead of a deep crimson and black, the robe was a dazzling white and gold. It was intimidating, yet also majestic.

Revan quickly, yet carefully donned the white uniform. After putting on the main articles, he slipped on his boots, gloves, and lightsaber belt and fastened the hooded cape around his neck. The only thing really left was the mask, but that could wait until later.

"Looks good on you," said a young voice from behind. Revan turned to see Mission standing there in the doorway bearing a soft smile.

"Hey Mission," Revan said. "Shouldn't you be getting ready?" he asked her. "I'm not going to ask you to stay out of this, cause I know you won't listen to me anyway."

Mission smirked. "Damn right. Because there ain't no way I'm missing this battle."

Revan smirked back at her. "You know, Mission, Saimos was right. One of the things I've always liked about you, kiddo, is that you appear wise beyond your years. I know I've said it before, but it's the truth."

"Thanks, Rev. I wonder when people are gonna stop underestimating me."

She wore a smile, but Revan soon sensed something was wrong. She seemed to be agitated on the inside.

"Mission, is something wrong?" Revan asked her. The young Twi'lek glanced up at him. Her smile quickly changed into a frown.

"Uh…I don't know, Rev…"

"What's the matter? You can tell me?"

Mission shyly took a step forward. "I don't know, this whole thing is just so complicated, Rev. I guess I'm just actually kind of nervous about this. I'm…I'm worried. I'm worried about us. I'm worried about _you_."

Revan looked at her with concern. "Why?"

Mission's face hardened. "Why should I _not_? I mean, the Sith are on their way and chances are you're going to have to fight Nihilus by the time this is done. This isn't a small thing, Rev! And I'm worried that something might go wrong. I know I don't show it, but to be honest, I get really scared on the inside every time you get in a fight. I get so worried that one day, you're gonna get in a fight and not come back! And now, you're getting into something huge, and we don't know how things are going to turn out!"

Tears now started welling in her eyes. "I'm scared about this, Revan. I don't want you to get hurt. I…I don't want you to die!"

Without warning, Mission collapsed against Revan and hugged him tightly. Despite being stunned by such a sudden outburst of affection from Mission, Revan wrapped his own arms around her and hugged her back.

"Shh, Mission. It's okay," he whispered.

"I'm scared about this, Revan," she sobbed against his chest. "I don't wanna lose you." Mission pulled back so she was looking at him with tear-stained eyes. "Rev, I know I don't say this often, but you're really important to me. I mean, Big-Z's a great friend and all, but you're different. You're like _family_ to me. You care about me, and you've taken care of me. I mean, ever since you found me on Taris, you've been the big brother that Griff should have been. I love you, Rev. You know, like any sister would love her brother." She fell forward and hugged him again.

"I know, Mission," Revan told her. "I love you like a sister, too. I don't want you to get hurt, either."

"Rev, promise me you'll be okay. Promise me you're not gonna die." she whispered.

Revan looked down at her sadly. "Mission…I can't…I don't know."

"I don't care!" she snapped. "Just promise me."

"Mission, I don't know how this is going to turn out!"

"I don't care!" she repeated. "Just at least say it, then. Just say it once."

Revan sighed in defeat. "Okay. I promise. Now promise me that you'll take care of yourself and we'll call it even."

"Okay. I promise," she replied. "Thanks, Revan." She hugged him briefly one last time.

"Now, you should get ready. We'll be landing soon, and where we're going, it's going to be cold."

Mission pulled back and wiped her tears from her eyes. "Alright. See ya, Rev." She turned and went to the door, took one last look at Revan, bit her lip, and proceeded to her dormitory.

* * *

The Ravager, Nihilus' flagship, slowed down as it came out of hyperspace. There in front of them lay Dantooine, the former Jedi sanctuary. From the bridge of his ship, Nihilus beheld it with unseen eyes. Behind the Sith Lord stood the corpse-like form of Darth Sion. 

"My lord, we've tracked Revan's ship. They're entering Dantooine's atmosphere now," Sion said to him.

"_Take a squad and follow them. Send the rest of the forces to attack the Khoonda settlement. Do not stop until every one of them lies dead, but bring the creature back to me alive." _

"What about Revan?" Sion asked him. Nihilus let out an eerie hiss.

"_I will **break** him." _

* * *

Revan soon found himself back in the cockpit, hood up and mask on. Atton surprisingly hadn't bothered to ask him about his change of clothes, he was so busy with other things. The rest of the crew, except Saimos, were buckled up in the main hold. The creature stood in the cockpit with the other two. For whatever reason, he was wearing a black, hooded cloak with the hood drawn over his head. Revan figured he probably wanted something to help mask his appearance, just in case they were seen. 

"Well, it's a good thing you sent that distress signal to the Republic fleet, because this planet's going to turn into a war zone in no time," Atton remarked as he steered the Ebon Hawk.

Revan nodded from the co-pilot's seat. "Let it down smoothly, we're going to need this thing intact."

"Don't I always?" Atton smirked.

"We're landing this thing in the northern polar region."

"Don't worry, I know."

"Saimos, we're going to need your help finding this thing, because I sure as hell don't know where it is."

"That I can help you with," it replied. "But first we have to get lower."

The Ebon Hawk screamed through the atmosphere, the ship heating up from the friction. The vessel descended and soon the landing thrusters kicked in to slow its speed. The ship passed through a thick layer of clouds, and finally they beheld a great, white landscape. It really was actually quite magnificent. Everything shown in a brilliant white; with towering mountains jutting out from the landscape. From their height, even they looked small, but they rapidly grew in size as they descended.

'_So this is where it's been hidden. All these years it's been here, and nobody's known,'_ Revan thought to himself.

"See a place to land?" Atton asked Revan. Revan was having problems finding anything.

"Head over there," Saimos ordered them while pointing.

"What's that?" Atton asked.

"Just do it and keep going straight. Trust me."

Atton shrugged and did as he was told. The mountains below them started growing taller and more numerous.

"There," Saimos ordered. Below them was what appeared to be a plateau connected to the mountain range. "Land it there."

Not questioning him, Atton guided the Hawk over and slowly lowered it. The landing thrusters kicked in, the landing gear lowered, and soon the ship landed on the snow-packed ground with a soft thud.

"Alright, let's go," Revan said from underneath his mask. All three of them stepped out and into the main hold, where the crew was waiting.

"Alright, guys," Revan informed them. "We gotta go out and find this machine, wherever it is. However, we've got only one landspeeder, and that can only fit so many. Saimos _has_ to come along as you probably know, so I can only take three others. Quaid, Visas, I want you to come with me." He paused and smirked at Mission's eager expression. "Mission, you can come with me, too."

"Objection: Master, I feel I must express resentment at not being able to travel with you. As a highly sophisticated protocol droid,-"

"Don't worry, HK. You and the rest will stay here and guard the ship. If anybody tries to enter, you have my full permission to blast them."

"Exclamatory: Oh, thank you, master!"

"The rest of you stay here and guard the ship with HK," Revan ordered. "Yuthura, Jolee, Atton, if anything happens, contact me immediately. Understood?" They all nodded. "Good. Let's go. Atton, please lower the entry ramp."

He did as he was told, and the five of them boarded the landspeeder. Within moments, the landspeeder pulled out of the Hawk and onto the snowy landscape. It was definitely cold, as they'd expected. The wind howled and flakes of snow swirled in the invisible current. Revan looked around him, but all he could see was rocks. He tried to remember the cave he had seen in the vision and what it had looked like.

"Where to, Saimos?" he asked.

The creature raised his hand and pointed straight ahead. Revan followed his lead, and the vehicle sped forward.

"Man, this place is…_cold_!" Mission muttered from the back seat while shivering. It was indeed like that. The wind made it worse, as it made the cold air pierce through their outer garments. Thankfully for Revan, he was fully robed and his mask kept the snow and wind from hitting his face.

"Be thankful that you know what cold feels like," Saimos reminded her from the front, with a faint smirk.

"Brr…maybe _after_ we get out of here," she replied. Quaid and Visas briefly exchanged a smile.

The landspeeder sped along and the path soon grew narrow, but it was only a short while before Saimos ordered them to stop. They were now at the foot of a the mountain range. In the snow, it was difficult to make out anything.

"Go left," Saimos told them. Revan obeyed and steered the vehicle in that direction.

Not long after, Saimos ordered them to stop. "Here is where we get out." All of them piled out one after the other. Before he left, Revan pulled out a sack from the seat and took it with him. Saimos again pointed with his hand. "There. Follow."

The creature lead them up to the mountain's base. Every one of them felt an air of tension mounting as they neared. And there, Revan finally saw it. It was the same place he had seen in his vision before this had all started. It was just as he remembered. At the very base of the mountain was an opening. It was an opening to a cave, long forgotten by the Jedi. The entrance was mostly blocked by snow, and but from what Revan could tell they would be able to clear it out.

All five of them approached it and stared in awe, with Saimos leading the way. He led them on, his black cloak flicking in the wind like a cape. At last, they arrived at the entrance. It was dark on the inside and impossible to see anything.

"Alright, guys," Revan addressed them. "Saimos and I are going in. Mission will come with me. Quaid, Visas, I want you to guard the outside."

"Will do, Revan," Quaid answered.

"Alright. We're going to need to clear this snow away…" before Revan could finish, he heard a faint rumbling behind him. He turned around to find the snow already cleared away from the entrance. In front of it stood Saimos with his palm outstretched.

"Um, thanks, Saimos," Revan said.

"No problem, 'Rev,'" Saimos said, quoting Mission's nickname for him.

"Heh. Alright, let's go, guys. Saimos, we're right behind you." Saimos walked forward with Mission and Revan close behind. Within seconds, the three of them stepped out of the snow and into the darkness.

The cave was cold, but dry. Revan pulled out a glow-stick and struck it to illuminate their surroundings in a faint yellow glow. Saimos motioned for them to follow and walked forward.

"It was by pure chance my father found this," Saimos told them. "He was investigating this cave on an expedition, hoping to find traces of any civilizations that existed before the Republic. It was only natural that he would return here to protect his machine."

The tunnel got slightly narrower and lower, and Revan and Mission had to stoop slightly to go on. Neither of them knew how long they walked, but it wasn't long before the light from the entrance disappeared and the only light came from Revan's glow-stick. The path they walked descended, and they walked deeper and deeper into the mountain. They had to keep close to avoid accidentally walking into one of the tunnels that branched off from their path.

"My father was a fool," Saimos went on. "A genius, but a fool. He was just too blinded by his ambition to know the threat his experiments were." He paused briefly to examine his dark surroundings. "Not much further now.

"Great, cause my back is starting to cramp," Mission huffed.

The path they were walking leveled off, and up ahead they could see a light. The tunnel veered sharply to the left, and whatever room the light was coming from was hidden.

"Woah," Mission muttered. "Creepy."

"Yes," Saimos agreed, though Mission couldn't tell if it was sarcasm or not. "Quickly," he ordered them.

With hearts racing, they followed Saimos close behind. They came closer, and the light grew brighter. Finally, they came to the corner and turned left, and stepped into the bright room.

Both Revan's and Mission's jaws dropped. The cavern was large and high. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, and stalagmites studded the floor here and there. Against the wall of the huge cavern was the machine that Saimos had talked about so many times. Revan didn't expect it to be that big!

The machine was hard to describe in words. Attached to the ceiling was a large metal frame laced with wires. Studded into the frame were brightly glowing crystals, which were giving the room its light. The circular metal frame tapered as it got lower, creating a funnel-like shape. The crystals glowed a bright white, and circled the frame at regular intervals. At the bottom of the frame in the center of it all was a huge crystal that actually seemed to be floating in the air by itself! Though upon closer inspection, Revan could tell it was actually made up of several smaller crystals. The entire mechanism emanated a soft hum, and the crystals actually seemed to warm the room. The huge frame that stood above the ground seemed to be attached to computer consoles that lined the wall. The consoles were ancient, using technology that came from 1,000 years ago. They all were faded, having not been used in such a long time. Below the frame on the ground, right beneath the one huge crystal, was what appeared to be a metallic table.

"That," Saimos said pointing at it, "Is the very platform I was born on. That crystal was the first thing I ever saw…" his voice trailed off in awe. "How strange it feels to see this again."

"Wow…" Mission said while taking in the scene. "Wish I had a camera."

"Those smaller crystals you see lining the frame pull in the force and transfer it to the large, floating crystal in the center. That is where the energy is held. When enough energy is gathered, it can be released in a large, single burst. Of course, this won't bring _anything_ to life. The receptor of this must be very carefully and specifically crafted, as I am. The crystals you see on me are what help hold the force in."

"Amazing. So this is where it all happened," Revan remarked. "I didn't think this could ever be pulled off, except in fantasy. I guess I was wrong."

Saimos looked back at him and smirked as he approached the metal table. "I am living proof of that, as you already know." He turned and looked up at the huge machine. "Unfortunately, this thing cannot go on. We must destroy this thing now."

"Well, I can help with that," Revan told him. He opened up the bag he was carrying and took out a small electrical object. "These are permeacrate detonators. Small, but powerful. We can set them up here and set a timer on them to detonate. Just a few of these should bring the whole cavern down."

"Wait!" Saimos cautioned him. "First, I must see something." The cloaked creature raised its hand toward the huge floating crystal and squinted its eyes in concentration. After a few seconds of this, it lowered its hand and looked over at Revan.

"It is as I feared. This crystal will have to be drained."

"What?" Revan replied.

"You see Revan, this machine has been active for 1,000 years. Of course, the crystals weren't gathering energy all that time, but the amount of time allowed the central crystal to be charged to full capacity. If we were to detonate this now, then the energy this crystal is holding would be released, and the surge would be quite devastating. We need to drain this crystal before we destroy it."

"But Saimos, we don't have much time!" Revan said.

"I know, but this has to be done, otherwise we might perish in the blast as well! It will not take long. I know how it is done. You can save us some time by setting up those devices."

Revan didn't protest, and he immediately set about his task, with Mission helping him. Meanwhile, Saimos went over to one of the control panels and activated the console. Revan was surprised it could still activate after all these years, especially considering the technology was 1,000 years old. While he was setting up the bombs, he heard the machine start to emanate a droning mechanical whir. He glanced up at the large central crystal and saw that it seemed to be radiating some sort of energy. Wisps of whitish light were now pouring off of it in streams. Finally, Revan and Mission set up the last detonator, and Revan went over to check the progress.

"How much longer?" he asked.

"Only a little bit," Saimos replied. Not a minute after he said this, the whirring died down. "There, it is finished. I told you it would not take long," it smirked. Revan glanced at the large, central crystal again and noticed it was no longer glowing. It was still hovering, but it no longer gave off light, and the room was now darker for it.

"Alright, I'm going to set the destruction sequence now. I figure 20 minutes should be more than enough time to get out of this cave and away from the site."

"Sounds fine to me," Mission agreed.

Revan pressed a few buttons on his remote activator, and a countdown appeared on the display.

"Alright. Let's go," he told them. The trio headed swiftly out of the cavern and into the tunnel. As they made their way up, Revan's communicator beeped.

"Revan, this is Quaid. Are you there? Are you done yet?" His voice sounded panicked.

"I'm here, and we're heading up right now. What's happening?" Revan replied.

"Good, because you need to get up here now."

"What? What's wrong?"

"It's the Sith! They've just gotten here! They must have followed our ship here or something, because I just saw their ships land not to far off."

"Alright, Quaid, we're on our way," Revan replied. "Come on! We gotta move it!" he told the other two. In no time, the three were literally dashing up the tunnel toward the exit, Saimos still leading the way.

After what seemed like ages, they finally caught glimpse of daylight and the cave's exit. The three rushed up the tunnel and finally out into daylight.

"Glad to see you guys, because you just made it in time for the party," Quaid said as soon as they came out.

"Oh, sithspit," Revan said as he a mass Sith marching toward them! Most of what he saw were foot soldiers in silver uniforms. Near the front of the formation were the black-robed forms of dark Jedi. Leading the entire pack was a familiar corpse-like human. Darth Sion.

"Crud. There's gotta be over a hundred of them," Quaid muttered.

"So be it. I do not fear them," Visas whispered as she drew her lightsaber.

"5 against one hundred. I like the odds," Mission remarked.

The advancing Sith finally stopped when they were only about 100 feet away from Revan and his companions. Revan, Quaid, and Visas all had their lightsabers ignited, and Mission stood there with her blaster pointed at the crowd. Saimos merely stood silent and still.

"Well well. We meet again," said Sion mockingly. "What a nice surprise."

"Too bad we can't say the same to you. And here I thought we'd gotten rid of you on Nar-Shadaa," Revan said coldly.

Sion laughed. "You should do better next time. Not as if you could kill me anyway. But I'm not here to talk. I want what you stole from me." He raised his hand and pointed at Saimos.

"You can forget it," Quaid spat back.

"You don't have a choice here, 'exile'," Sion mocked. "That creature is ours. Surrender it now, and we'll kill you off quickly."

"Go to hell, Sion. Saimos is staying with us," Revan replied. "And I'd hate to break it to you, but that mountain is rigged with explosives. It will blow in 15 minutes. If we aren't away from here, it could trigger an avalanche and we'll all perish."

"So the machine is in that mountain? How unfortunate. Not that we need it intact. The creature is all we need. All we have to do is extract its memories." He paused. "And Saimos?" the Sith lord asked. "You gave the creature a name? How touching. You make it seem almost human."

"He has more humanity than you, Sion," Visas hissed.

Sion shifted his glance to Visas. "How adorable. The lowly traitor has the nerve to talk down to me. You are worthless, Visas. You served Nihilus well, but your time has passed. Now you'll only die with these poor Jedi fools. What, did you hope to redeem yourself by siding with them? After all the people you've killed, you think merely switching sides will change that? You're a killer, Visas. Nothing more."

"Don't you EVER say that to her!" Quaid shouted hatefully. "I know her. You and the Sith only wanted to turn her into a mindless killing instrument. You tried to destroy what she was, but you couldn't. She's not like you, Sion - she's good at heart. And nothing you do or say can change that."

"You know nothing," Sion said.

"He speaks the truth," Visas said coldly. "I forgot who I was when I was with you. I thought that I could never go back to the way I was. But I was wrong. And now that I am free of you, I see that. I have a new purpose now. This is who I am. And I would _die_ before going back to your side."

"That can easily be arranged," Sion said. "But this has gone on long enough." He turned back to Saimos. "I don't know what you hoped to achieve by escaping, but you've only delayed the inevitable. You might as well accept your fate."

"Do you want to know what I wanted Sion?" Saimos spoke for the first time. He spoke loudly and forcefully. "I wanted to **exist**. I wanted a normal life! I wanted a chance to be happy, to have what everyone else has. But that can never be mine. Everything I have ever wanted has been barred from me because of what I am. Ever since my creation I have lead a tortured existence. So I decided to do as much good as one such as me can do, the only thing I can do. And that is undoing the horrible mistake my own creator made 1,000 years ago, and above all seeing that you never have the opportunity to capitalize on it!"

Saimos did something unexpected and stepped forward away from the group. It's hooded cape flicked and fluttered in the strong wind, making him even more imposing than before.

"You want me, Sion? Then take me. Take me if you dare."

"Saimos, don't-" Revan protested. The creature turned back and motioned for him to stay.

"Don't worry, Revan. Let me handle this," it told him softly. "Don't exhaust yourselves just yet."

"I've had enough!" Sion shouted. "Kill them," he ordered.

The mass of Sith soldiers all raised their blaster rifles. Saimos did nothing accept raise his flat palm to the crowd.

"Guys…?" Mission said nervously.

The Sith soldiers aimed their rifles and fired! Mission ducked instinctively, and the three Jedi raised their lightsabers to deflect the barrage of blaster bolts.

But it never came.

The four of them gaped at the spectacle before them. Saimos stood there motionless, his arm still raised. The Sith were all firing their rifles, but the blaster bolts never made it to them. Instead, they all bounced harmless off what looked like a huge energy field between Saimos and the Sith crowd. The Sith kept firing, but not a single shot made it through. After a while of futile attempts, the soldiers stopped firing, confused and unsure of what to do.

"Okay, you have some skill," Sion muttered. "What are you stopping for, you fools?" he shouted angrily. The soldiers paused nervously for a moment, then fired again.

Just like the first time, the shots hit Saimos's energy barrier. This time, however, instead of the field absorbing them, this time it deflected the blaster bolts _back onto the Sith_. The deadly shots darted back and struck, wiping out a bunch of soldiers in a matter of seconds.

"Get it!" Sion shouted to the dark Jedi flanking him on both sides. The black-robed Sith raised their lightsabers and charged the motionless creature. With a flick of his hand, Saimos sent out a force-wave so power it sent all of them flying back, as well as most of the soldiers. Even Sion was picked up off his feet and hurled by the sudden wave.

"We don't have much time!" Revan told the rest. "If those bombs trigger an avalanche, we'll all be buried!"

"Very well! Go!" Saimos shouted.

Saimos, Revan, Quaid, and Visas charged the crippled mass of Sith. Mission led the rear to work her magic with a blaster.

Saimos stretched out his hand, and this time a powerful bolt of force-lightning erupted, striking five soldiers at once, sending them all to the ground. Revan set about dueling two dark Jedi, while Quaid and Visas handled two of their own. Two of the dark Jedi tried to get at Saimos with their lightsabers, but the creature leapt straight in the air out of the way. In a bizarre twist of fate, the two Sith ended up killing each other with their own lightsaber blows. Seeing this, Saimos, picked up the two lightsabers and ignited both of them. The creature started flashing and twirling the two crimson beams as if it had been an expert in it his hold life.

A group of soldiers fired a volley at him, which he easily blocked and reflected back onto them with his lightsabers. In a matter of seconds, Saimos became a virtual whirlwind of crimson flashes as he cut down soldier after soldier in his path while Revan and the others occupied themselves with the dark Jedi.

An enraged Sion picked himself up and hurled himself at the creature. There was no way he would fail this. He couldn't fail this. He attempted to strike at Saimos from behind, but the creature blocked his oncoming blow without even looking, spun around, and sent Sion flying away with another force-wave. Sion attempted to get up, but was only met with another force-push from Saimos that sent him rolling further away. Now to the point of almost blind rage, Sion let out a furious roar.

Saimos leapt over to the Sith Lord and lashed out with his lightsabers, which Sion only blocked narrowly. Sion and Saimos quickly became locked in a furious duel. The Sith Lord fought with all his fury, but found his blows easily parried by Saimos. Seeing an opening, the creature slashed out at Sion and made a wide slash across the Sith Lord's chest. He followed this up with a swift kick to the gut, which knocked Sion to the ground yet another time.

This time, Sion only grinned evilly at the creature as he stood up, and the large wound closed and healed itself within seconds.

"You fool. You may be strong, but you won't win. I can't die."

Saimos grinned back at him. "Are you sure about that, Sion? Tell me, how does it feel to know that everything you do is only because Nihilus has you in his pocket?"

Sion's grin quickly faded into an expression of hatred. "I have found more power than any Jedi could ever hope to achieve. I have-"

"The only power you have is what Nihilus gave you! Your soul belongs to him. That is the only source of your power. But it doesn't matter."

"I cannot die!" Sion yelled. "No matter how many times you kill me-"

"Rise up a hundred times, and I will strike you down a hundred times. You forget Sion, I do not tire, either. And if I do not finish you off, one of them certainly will. Because we both know you do not have the _will_ for it! Is that right?"

Saimos was suddenly cut off when a blaster bolt struck him from behind. The creature let out a quick yelp of pain. The momentary distraction was enough for Sion to send a wave of lightning in his direction. Saimos did not have time to block it, and was sent back.

Mission saw this and quickly downed the remaining soldier with a shot from her blaster. Having downed his two opponents, Revan rushed over to the downed creature, followed soon by Quaid and Visas. The trio of Jedi stood by his side as the creature quickly stood up. Sion saw this and realized that he was now alone. It was just he against five. His entire squad had been defeated by a mere handful of Jedi. He was too stunned for words. Suddenly, he felt weak…

"It's over, Sion," Revan said. "Give up."

"Never. I will not lose."

"You cannot win, Sion. You know this," Quaid said.

"This is the way of the dark side, Sion. All things end in death," Visas added.

"You thought you had power, Sion," Saimos told him. "But it was all just an illusion. You know this now, don't you?"

"There is nothing you can do now, Sion. It's over," Revan said coolly.

"I can't lose…I am too powerful," Sion said half-heartedly.

"Your spirit is weakening, Sion," Saimos said. "You can feel it. Your body is starting to lose hold."

"Do you understand now?" Visas asked him. "You were strong for a time, but that time is done. This can only end in defeat for you."

"NO!" the Sith Lord roared. He leapt madly at the group, aiming straight for Visas.

"Visas!" Quaid cried.

There was a flash of yellow and red, and before they knew it, Sion lay on the snow in two halves. This time, however, he did not get up. The Sith Lord looked up weakly one last time, and collapsed lifeless. Visas stood over him with her lightsaber drawn, a look of slight shock on her face.

"Is he…?" Mission asked.

"No time. We only have two minutes left!" Revan shouted. The five of them dashed off to the landspeeder that was still parked where they had left it. They wasted no time in getting in, and soon the vehicle was speeding away from the mountain. Not long after, they heard a loud explosion echo from the mountain. Shortly after, they heard a loud rumble as a wall of snow started falling down the mountain. The bombs had triggered an avalanche as Revan had expected.

The snow fell rapidly and in thick sheets. The falling mound of ice collapsed against the ground and piled up high, covering the entrance of the cave completely. That cave would not, if ever, be entered again for a very long time.

"It's done," Quaid whispered.

"But it is not over," Saimos corrected.

"Saimos, you got shot! Are you alright?" Mission asked with concern.

"I'm fine. You forget, I'm not human," he told her while grinning.

"Revan! Are you there?" Yuthura's voice rang over the communicator.

"I'm here, Yuthura, and we're on our way. What's wrong?"

"Good, because the Sith have found us! They're attacking the ship!"

"WHAT?"

"They're ground troops just arrived just now. We're trying to hold them back, but we'll need help."

"Alright. We're on our way."

Revan's sped up the speeder even more, and in a short while the Ebon Hawk came into view. Clustered around the ship were the dark forms of Sith soldiers and dark Jedi. The ship's turret was firing at the crowd of soldiers. Outside the entry ramp could be seen HK-47, Yuthura, and Jolee.

"Condescending Command: Eat hot, red, photonic death, spineless meatbags!"

The speeder came to a stop a short distance behind the soldiers. Noticing this, some of the Sith turned around and started firing on the vehicle. The five of them wasted no time in getting out, and soon they were charging the Sith, with Revan leading the way.

The Jedi easily deflected their blaster bolts back into the crowd. Revan whirled his blue and violet lightsabers in a dance of death, cutting down soldier after soldier. Quaid, Visas, and Saimos all followed his example.

Saimos ignited his two crimson blades and charged a group of soldiers. His presence, coupled with dark hooded cloak and crimson sabers, made him even more menacing then he already was. The armored soldiers fired a barrage of red bolts his way, but he easily deflected them back onto the soldiers, killing them all at once. In their place more came at him. Then, Saimos did something never seen before. He drew his lightsabers back and threw both of them, at the same time, at the charging wave of soldiers. The lightsabers, like deadly boomerangs, spun around and struck two of the charging soldiers. The sabers then bounced off in opposite directions and took out three more soldiers each. In one blow, eight soldiers now lay dead. The red blades came back at Saimos and he caught them both effortlessly. He turned to find yet more soldiers attempting to catch him off guard. This time, Saimos went straight for his lethal lightning. The bright bolts struck the five of them, downing all of them at once.

In a matter of minutes, all the Sith lay dead. The crew of the Ebon Hawk gathered outside the entry ramp.

"Wow, remind me never to get on your bad side," Revan said to Saimos jokingly.

"Complimentary Statement: That was indeed a very impressing display of combat. Your skills at meatbag elimination are very admirable!"

This only seemed to make Saimos nervous, being that he took no joy in taking the lives of others.

"How did it go? Did you find it?" Yuthura asked. They all nodded.

"We found it and destroyed it. We ran into the Sith back there too, so that delayed us a little bit," Revan explained. "Sion was there, too."

"Sion? What happened?"

"We don't have to worry about him, anymore. He's gone," Visas said.

"But how did he die?" Mission asked. "I mean, not that I mind, but every other time we tried to kill him he just got up again."

"Because he gave up," Saimos interjected. Everyone stared at him.

"But I thought you said his soul was bound to Nihilus?" Revan asked.

"That is true. But while his spirit was controlled by Nihilus, it was his own will that allowed him to keep going. Back there, he lost the one thing that was keeping him going – his own will to live. When we all spoke to him, we destroyed the very foundation of his beliefs. He died because he lost hope. Pity, that is among the worst ways to die," Saimos said sadly.

All of them nodded in agreement.

"Well, we must go," Revan ordered. "This isn't over yet. We have to get to Dantooine."

All of them boarded the Ship. A short while later, the thrusters ignited, the ship rose into the atmosphere, and blasted its way toward Khoonda.

* * *

Up in the cockpit, an alarm sounded. 

"Great. Watch out Revan, we're being followed," Atton said.

"Sith fighters inbound," Revan said from the right seat. "Six of them."

"Well, we got to do something, or this Hawk's going to-" Atton didn't finish, for Revan was already out of his seat and dashing for the turret.

Revan wasted no time in getting there. He climbed the ladder and manned the controls. Following the turret's radar, he spotted the six black fighters on their tail.

"Alright. Say hello to my little friend," Revan seethed. He called upon the force and narrowed his eyes in concentration. The Jedi fired a volley of shots at the group of fighters. Luckily enough, he managed to hit one, but the rest flew out of the way. The fighters broke formation and started coming at the Ebon Hawk in different directions. Revan tracked one trying to flying over the ship. The fighter made a turn in an attempt to come at the ship head on. As soon as it did, however, Revan saw an opportunity. After missing twice, he managed to clip the ship on his third attempt. The blast hit the side of the fighter, and it spiraled out of control.

Now there were four left. After a moment of searching, Revan saw one ship coming down on top of the Ebon Hawk. The ship fired and hit the Ebon Hawk. The shield was up, but the shock rattled the ship and momentarily threw Revan off. The fighter pulled back and flew off behind the Ebon Hawk. With Jedi speed, Revan regained his bearing, took aim, and hit the ship with a single blast as it retreated. Revan heard a sound off to his left, and he saw a fighter come out from underneath the ship. Revan wasted no time in firing at it as it flew above the Hawk. He followed the fighter with his eyes and kept up the pressure, but it continued to evade him. Then, the other two fighters appeared launched another attack. Revan spun around to face the two fighters coming at him side-by-side. He pulled the trigger again and managed to hit the one on the left.

Now there were two left. Revan kept track of the other fighter and gave it no room for a safe getaway. He kept pulling the trigger and unleashing red bolts on the enemy. The ship rattled again as the Hawk took more blaster bolts to its shield. Revan cursed and spun around to see the other fighter pulling up and away from the Hawk. Pausing momentarily, Revan focused, called on the force, took aim, and fired. The bolt streaked forward, and the fighter flew right into it. There was only one left. Trouble was, Revan couldn't see it. It must have been underneath the ship. Everything went silent for a moment. Finally, Revan spotted it come out from behind a cloud. The fighter came at the Hawk while unleashing a stream of red blasts. Revan focused so as to not lose his aim. He called upon the force again, and fired a wave of his own at the oncoming ship. At last, one of these bolts hit home, and the fighter exploded.

Revan gave a grin of satisfaction and climbed out of the Ebon Hawk's turret. He ran back to the cockpit, and was greeted by the cheers of the crew as he passed. As he neared the cockpit, he heard Atton called him yet again.

"Revan! Hey, Revan! You'd better come here." Revan cursed again and hurried up to see what was the matter.

"What? What now?" Revan asked. This day just seemed to keep getting better and better.

"It's Khoonda. I just picked up a distress signal from them," Atton told him.

"What? What's wrong?" Revan asked. He already had a pretty good idea what was wrong.

"It's the Sith. They've arrived there. Khoonda's under attack!"

For just a moment, time stopped for Revan. The Sith were there. And so was Bastila. _She was in danger_.

Atton needed no order. He pushed a lever on the control panel, and the Ebon Hawk streaked forward at top speed.

* * *

I know this chapter was long. It was definitely the longest yet. Not much more now, maybe only two or three chapters to go! If all goes right, I should finally have this finished by the end of the month! I hope the actions scenes were good. (Saimos hogged the spotlight, but I wanted to show what he was capable of since I really didn't show enough before This being the end, there are going to be a lot of them! Oh, and just for explanation, in case you hadn't noticed, Saimos is referred to as 'it' and 'he' in the story. While he's artificial and technically had no gender, he has some of his creator's mind in him, who was a guy. This makes him more of a male character. Not that important, but I just thought I'd explain. 

And yes, I admit, I stole a line off the Witch King (one of my favorite characters from LoTR) for Nihilus' line. And Revan's line in the turret was from 'Scarface'. XP Sorry, but I love both movies.

As always, keep leaving those reviews. Anonymous reviews are accepted, and any opinions, criticisms, questions, are all welcome. Thanks to all those who have been reviewing so far and thus convincing me to get up off my lazy butt and write.


	29. Chapter 28: Zero Hour

Yes! The epic final chapter to the story. (actually, it's not the last, there's an epilogue after this) First off, let me apologize for the long wait for an update. While I wanted to get the next chapter out very soon, I was suddenly loaded with a ton of work that lasted through the month. My apologies. But hopefully this chapter will be worth the wait.

In accordance with Star Wars tradition, expect a massive battle and lightsaber duel at the end. Also, just so you know, this is a long chapter and the longest in the story as well. You have been warned!

l0ngshotr: Yeah, you were right. I re-read that little scene with Mission and realized the same thing! First she cries, then she's all sunshine and butterflies again? So I took your advice and edited it. Thanks. I think it works better that way. If anyone else has any advice, don't hesitate to offer.

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Except Saimos, but that's it.

* * *

**Chapter 28: Zero Hour**

From within the hospital at the Khoonda settlement, the furious sounds of battle could be heard through the walls. Khoonda's defense system would not last very long against the Sith's superior might, and the militia wouldn't last too long either. Their only hope was that the Republic could make it before all was lost. But with every second that passed, that hope seemed more and more impossible.

Lying almost motionless on one of the beds was the pale form of a young Jedi female. Her skin had paled to an almost pure white, and her once-brilliant blue eyes had faded into a dull bluish-gray. A medical droid tended her and the other wounded soldiers in the room. From outside, a pair of medics watched the scene sadly. The first, a tall male, spoke up.

"Her vital signs have been fading for some time. It doesn't look like she has much longer."

The second, a female, replied, "Bastila's holding on for some time. It's a miracle she's lasted this long. I don't understand it. It's just as if someone stole a piece of her soul." She shook her head sadly.

"But now her heartbeat has been slowing gradually ever since this morning," the male doctor replied sadly. "If it keeps up, then she only has a couple hours left."

* * *

With precious little time to spare, the Ebon Hawk streaked through Dantooine's stratosphere at top speed. From the cockpit, Atton, Revan, and Saimos watched the clouds fly by. 

"Damn it, I sure hope they haven't destroyed Khoonda's docks. We'll need to be able to land this thing," Atton growled.

"Then we'll parachute out if we have to," Revan said sternly. At this point, with Bastila's life on the line there was not a soul in the galaxy that could stop him from reaching his destination. The white-robed Jedi stared ahead. Beneath his mask, his face was that of utter determination.

"What if Nihilus is there, Revan? What are we going to do?" Atton asked with concern.

"Don't worry about him, Atton. We can beat him."

"And it's something you will have to do. Unfortunately, I will not be able to defeat him myself," Saimos told Revan. "I can help with the rest, but Visas will need to be there when you face Nihilus. It is the only way."

Revan nodded.

"We're here!" Atton shouted. He grabbed the controls and steered the Hawk downward. The ship broke through the layer of clouds and the scene on the ground came into view.

Down below, they could see clearly the settlement dotting the landscape. Even at their height, they could tell a battle was going on down there. Blaster fire could be seen shooting back and forth. The formations of Sith soldiers and assault vehicles could be seen closing in on the settlement from two sides.

Atton cursed. "Just as I thought. It's going to be dangerous to try to land this at the docks. We'll get blown out of the sky."

Revan pointed at a grassy plain away from the chaos of battle. "Try landing it there. It's flat enough. I've done it before."

Atton didn't protest, and maneuvered the vessel in the direction Revan indicated. The vessel descended further until at last it came to a stop on a grassy plain. None of them wasted time in getting out. By the time the three had reached the main hold, everyone was already out of his or her seats and ready to leave.

"Follow me!" Revan instructed. "T3, you're coming too!" There was no telling what could happen, and Revan needed everyone.

Every person and droid on the ship exited out the ramp. They had landed behind where the battle was raging, but even still it was not safe. From his vantage point, Revan could tell that the Sith were coming in through the two bridges that lead to the settlement. The river had luckily provided a natural barrier, but it so far was doing little to stem the tide of soldiers. Hordes of soldiers and militia were lined outside the buildings, firing at the oncoming Sith. They were fighting fiercely, but they would not last long.

Revan and his crew ran to the town that was under siege. Once inside the settlement, they weaved their way through the streets while trying to dodge the blaster fire that was raining down on them. All around they heard shouting the sound of battle around them.

"This doesn't make sense," Quaid remarked. "Why didn't the Sith send a larger force here? You think they would have wiped this settlement out a lot faster than this."

"I don't know, but we really don't have time to think about it. Just be thankful they didn't send a larger force."

"Statement: All I know is I get to spill more meatbag blood," HK said merrily. T3 gave a beep of disapproval.

The group came to an opening at last, right behind the front line of the fight. Armored Sith troops came in waves over the bridges at a seemingly endless pace. The Khoonda soldiers were lined against the buildings and behind whatever cover they could find, fighting desperately to stem the tide of Sith. It was chaos – everywhere they heard the sound of blaster fire, explosions, and red streaks of energy pierced the air like a lethal rainstorm. Left and right, soldiers were falling as the Sith fought back with equal ferocity.

Off to the right, Revan could see what appeared to be an officer shouting orders to the rest of the fighters. The white-robed Jedi ran to him.

"Are you in charge here?" Revan shouted. The soldier spun around to meet him, momentarily taken aback by his garb. Not having time to take in Revan's outfit, he replied.

"Yeah. Who are you? You're here to help, I hope!"

"I'm Revan! Don't worry, we're here to help in any way we can."

"Well, you're just in time! Those Sith keep coming, and it won't be long before they break into the city. We're going to need you guys very soon!" He looked over and noticed Revan's crew, as well as Saimos' black hooded form. "What in the galaxy is that thing?" he asked.

"Just tell us what to do!" Revan shouted.

"Not much," the soldier shouted as he looked around to make sure no blaster fire was coming his way. "Just kill any Sith you see!"

"Wait, I see you have turrets!" Yuthura noticed. "Why aren't they active?"

"They malfunctioned and have been offline! We didn't have time to get them to work – oh Sithspit!"

He cursed again, and everyone turned to see the Sith had finally broken into the town's limits. The armored soldiers were now within the streets and clashing with the militia head-on.

"This is where we step in!" Revan shouted. "Quick, where's the control panel for the turrets?" Revan asked.

"It's in the armory. It's gray building on southeast corner of this town. But you might have to go to the turrets themselves to get 'em to work!"

"Fine by me," Revan replied. "Quaid, Visas, I want you to go and see if you can fix those turrets. Can you do that?"

They both nodded.

"Good. Bring T3 with you." He turned to the commander. "Have your men place mines in the streets and around the entrances. We're going to need them." He turned to his crew. "The rest of you, come with me!"

Revan, Saimos, Yuthura, Jolee, Atton, Mission, and HK followed Revan up to where the battle was raging. The Jedi all ignited their lightsabers while Mission, Atton, and HK readied their blasters.

Revan gave a cry and leaped into the fray of the battle. He landed right in front of one soldier and cut him down in a flash. He twirled his lightsabers around and became a white whirlwind as he attacked the Sith around him while deflecting the blaster bolts coming his way. The rest followed his example and cut down the soldiers in their path.

Saimos did the same, his intimidating and unusual presence already made some of the Sith pause in their tracks. He sent out a whirlwind that picked up several soldiers and flung them away. He then followed this up with a stasis field that rendered several of them soldiers immobile. The unfortunate soldiers quickly fell under his deadly lightsaber blows. He became a grey-and-black blur as he threw himself at the wave of oncoming soldiers, carving a path through them.

* * *

Quaid and Visas wasted no time in getting to the armory. The doors were locked, but Quaid's lightsaber took care of it in no time. The two Jedi along with T3 entered the spacious storehouse. A large computer control console lined the rear wall. 

"It looks online. We'll have to access the turret's controls," Quaid said. "T3, can you access it?"

The droid beeped in reply and set about working at the control panel. The droid inserted a probe into the console and accessed the mainframe. A soft buzzing sounded, and soon a display of the turret's control system showed on the screen. Surely enough, all of them were offline.

"Great. T3, can you run a diagnostic to see what's wrong?" Quaid asked. The droid was already on it, and the diagnostic display appeared on the screen. The display read 'ERROR: CONNECTION FAILED AT PORT 002348!'

"No wonder they aren't working, the connection is off," Quaid muttered. "There's got to be something we can do."

"Can it be repaired? If not, we could try re-routing it," Visas suggested.

"T3?" Quaid asked the droid. The droid buzzed in acknowledgement and set about its task.

It was another couple moments before another display appeared on the screen. This time, the display read: 'TURRET 1: ACTIVE – TURRET 2: ACTIVE – TURRET 3 – ERROR; TOWER NOT RESPONDING – TURRET 4: ACTIVE." A map of the layout of the turrets displayed, with a red X over the inactive turret.

"Crud," Quaid said. "Looks like we'll have to go to that one. At least the other three are up. T3, command those turrets to attack intruders and we'll go."

A few seconds later, the three of them were out and headed for Turret 3. The battle was raging as fiercely as ever, and the newly active turrets were now firing at the hordes of approaching Sith. At last they came to the inactive turret, and Quaid searched desperately for a control panel. Finding one, he opened it up and examined it. By the looks of it, it was not active in any sense.

"T3, see if you can repair it," Quaid ordered. The droid set about its task, but after a few moments, Quaid soon grew impatient. If they could not get it active, they'd just have to go back and help Revan and the others. Quaid's fears were soon assuaged though, and after another moment he heard a loud mechanical groan as the turret came to life.

"Excellent! Great work, T3!" He turned to Visas. "Let's get to the others."

"You will not be going anywhere, you traitor!" a voice shouted at them.

Quaid and Visas both spun around to see who had shouted at them. Both their jaws dropped when they saw who it was. T3 gave a shocked beep of its own.

"Vrook! What are you doing here?" Quaid asked. The Jedi Master stood there with his green lightsaber pointed straight at Quaid.

"I'm correcting a mistake the Jedi made a long time ago," Vrook said hatefully. "By ending your life now!"

"Vrook, are you insane? Quaid shouted back. "Look around you! This place is under attack!"

"I know. And it's no doubt your fault," Vrook said. "You betrayed us."

"Vrook, what are you talking about?" Quaid asked. "I haven't betrayed the Jedi! In case you can't see, I'm trying to help you!"

"Help us?" Vrook scoffed. He pointed his lightsaber at Visas. "By allying with the Sith? You've fallen very far, Exile."

"My name is Quaid," the exile seethed. "And don't judge Visas. She's on our side now."

"Quaid," Visas whispered. "His aura…he has fallen to the dark side."

Vrook scoffed. "I have not fallen to the dark side, you have! You've placed all of us in jeopardy! And now I'm going to make sure you don't place the Order in danger ever again!"

Quaid became aware again of the blaster fire that was raining perilously close to their position. Nevertheless, he tried reasoning one more time. "Vrook, listen to me! I don't know who told you these lies, but we're not helping the Sith! We can't fight over this now! Khoonda needs our help! And if we don't get out of here, we're both going to be killed!"

"One of us is going to die, and it will be you, Exile! And once I'm done with you, I'll make sure she doesn't live through this, either!" Vrook shouted.

"Master Vrook, please listen!" Visas pleaded.

Quaid extended an arm to hold her back. "Visas, it's no use trying to reason with him. Stay back," he growled.

"Quaid, please-"

"Just stay back! Do not get involved!" Quaid ordered.

The exile ignited his green lightsaber and raised it in a poised position. Vrook responded by readying his own green lightsaber, and the two approached each other in combat stance. Vrook glared at the exile with hate radiating from his eyes. Quaid merely stared back, tense but collected.

Vrook was the first to strike. The now fanatic Jedi Master swung his lightsaber at Quaid. The Jedi blocked Vrook's oncoming blow, and for a moment their two lightsabers ground together in a loud hiss. Then Vrook brought his lightsaber back for another strike, and Quaid responded by raising his lightsaber to block again. In a flash, the two erupted in a furious duel of green light.

Visas stood by next to T3. Her hand was instinctively gripping the lightsaber that was still attached to her belt. It took everything she had not to join the fight and help him. But she knew he wanted her to stay back, and her interfering would only upset him. For now, she was forced to watch.

The two continued to duel fiercely. Vrook was a powerful and experienced Jedi Master, but Quaid was holding his own. The Master swung his lightsaber down at the Exile, but he blocked it and countered with a strike of his own. This time Vrook saw an opening and thrust his weapon straight at Quaid's chest. Quaid however sidestepped to avoid it and brought his fist up to connect with the side of Vrook's face. This caught the Master off guard and sent him staggering back. Quaid saw the opportunity and went forward to strike again, but at the last moment Vrook raised his hand and knocked Quaid back with a force-push. The force pushed Quaid back and caused him to land on his back a few feet away.

"Quaid!" Visas shouted. Her grip tightened on her lightsaber, but she did not activate it. She knew Quaid didn't want her involved, but there was no way she would let him die. If it looked liked Quaid would lose this duel, she would step in.

Vrook saw his opening and attempted to capitalize on it. He leapt into the air and brought his lightsaber down on the dazed Jedi. Maybe it was luck, or just intuition, but Quaid rolled away just before Vrook reached the fallen Jedi. While still on the ground, Quaid propped himself up on his hands and swung his legs around to trip Vrook. His gamble succeeded, and Vrook's legs were swept out from under him and he fell to the ground. Quaid quickly got to his feet and used their switched positions to gain the advantage. Vrook got up, but was caught off balance again as Quaid came at him furiously as ever. Vrook was now solidly on the defensive, and his stance began to falter. Finally, Quaid saw an opening and sent a swift kick that landed square on Vrook's gut. The Master doubled over, and Quaid brought his lightsaber up hard enough to knock Vrook's own weapon from his hand. Quaid finished it off by landing another punch on Vrook's jaw that sent him to the ground. Now dazed and disarmed, Vrook lay on the ground and completely under Quaid's mercy. The Exile stood over him with his green blade pointed at him.

"Vrook, it's over," Quaid said sternly. "We're Jedi, Master Vrook! We should not be fighting each other! Especially not when we're surrounded by the Sith!" Vrook stared wordlessly back up at Quaid. For a moment, Visas wasn't sure if Quaid intended to kill him or not, but to her surprise Quaid withdrew his lightsaber.

"Now for one last time, stop this madness!" Quaid said. He paused and glared back at him. "You really have fallen far, Vrook. But you can still come back. I'm not going to end your life. " He deactivated his lightsaber. "If you want to, you can still help us. If not…" He gave one last pitiful look at the Jedi Master and started to walk toward Visas. Both happy and relieved, Visas walked forward to hug him. Vrook, however, had other plans. The Master brought up his hand and brought his lightsaber back to his hand with the force. In a flash, he activated it and leapt at the unaware Jedi.

"Quaid!" Visas shouted. Quaid spun around and activated his lightsaber instinctively. Visas in turn drew out her own yellow blade and ignited it. But Vrook's oncoming blow never came. When he turned around he saw Vrook hovering there in the air. The Jedi Master wreathed and struggled in the blue force field that was suspending him above ground.

The two Jedi looked at each other, shocked, and T3 beeped inquisitively. All three looked behind them, and they saw Saimos's cloaked form standing there with his palm outstretched. His blue eyes were focused squarely on Vrook. The Jedi Master in turn looked at him with a mixture of both fear and shear confusion. The creature however shifted his gaze from Vrook to the others. His expression showed a hint of sadness.

"Forgive me," he said to them. He focused again on group and slowly closed his outstretched hand. Vrook shouted in pain as his body contracted viciously. The Jedi heard a sickening snap as Vrook's neck broke, and his body fell to the ground limp and lifeless. When all was done, Saimos ran over to the two Jedi and T3.

"Are you alright?" he asked them. Both nodded.

"I'm fine. I just…I can't believe Vrook would do something like this," Quaid stammered, still shocked at the whole ordeal.

"From what I remember, Vrook was always overzealous," Visas said. "But even I would not expect him to do this."

"Wait, why are you here, Saimos? Weren't you with the others?" Quaid asked.

Saimos smirked slightly back at them. "You were all taking quite a long time. And I happened to sense something was not right, so I came over."

"Oh. Well, thanks a lot," Quaid replied.

"It was nothing. Besides, I do not think either of you would need the blood of a Jedi Master on your hands, regardless of the reason."

"Thank you, Saimos," Visas said quietly. T3 beeped and whizzed his own expression of gratitude.

"You're welcome." The creature's smile widened and he lifted one of his red lightsabers and pointed at the occurring. "But we can't stay here! Hurry, the battle calls!" All four of them raced off to join the ensuing chaos.

* * *

Revan had somehow managed to go through the fight without getting hit once, though he really did not want to press his luck. He was shocked the Sith hadn't brought in heavy artillery yet, but he had a feeling it wouldn't be long before they did. He knew though that they could not defeat the Sith army by themselves. There were just too many of them. If help didn't come, then their chances of victory were slim. He just hoped they could hold out long enough to allow the Republic to get here. What pained him most, though, was that he knew that Bastila was so close to him. She was in one of the buildings somewhere in the closed settlement, but Revan would not be able to reach her until the battle was over. The thought almost literally tore him apart on the inside. And if they didn't win… Well, he wouldn't think about that just yet. 

Next to him, Yuthura and Jolee were doing a good job of holding their own. Mission and Atton had taken cover behind some rubble and were firing upon the advancing Sith. HK-47 was standing in the middle of the fray, firing with deadly accuracy while shouting insults and threats at the Sith.

Revan took a glance behind him to see how the others were faring, and saw a welcome sight.

"Quaid!" he shouted. He, Visas, Saimos, and T3 had returned.

"Glad to see me?" the exile asked.

"You have no idea! What took you so long?"

"We ran into some problems. We'll explain later."

"Good, 'cause we really need your help!"

Quaid needed no orders, as he and the rest joined the fray. All of them fought furiously to stem the tide of soldiers that had already broken into the city. The streets had literally erupted in a storm of blaster fire, and Revan had to resist the urge to run and make sure Bastila was okay. He sensed she was alive, but barely. He knew she didn't have long.

A moment later, Revan heard the commander shouting something behind him. From the sound of it, something was wrong. Revan decided to go back and see what it was going on.

"What happened?" Revan asked as he ran up to the commander.

"The Sith have breached the other side of the city! They're now coming in through both sides!"

Revan cursed loudly and tried to formulate a plan in his head.

"I'm going to go over and see what's going on," he said.

"Wait!" he heard Saimos shout from behind him. "Let me go. I can help!"

"Saimos, I need to go over there!" Revan shouted back.

"Then at least let me go with you!"

Revan hesitated for a moment, and finally gave in. "Alright. Come with me!" He ran over to Quaid. "I have to go to the other side. You're in charge while I'm gone! Hold them off and contact me if anything goes wrong."

"Alright, good luck!" Quaid said as he felled a soldier in his path.

Saimos and Revan took off with force-enhanced speed toward the settlement's west wall. Once there, they could tell already the Sith had broken through. Bodies of Sith and militia lay in the streets, and many more lay near the entrance. From the looks of it, the mines had already taken their toll.

Revan and Saimos rushed forward and saw that things were just as chaotic as they were on the other side. From the looks of it though, less Sith were approaching from this side as they were the other.

"Saimos," Revan said. "Your energy barrier, will we able to fire out if you put one up?"

The creature nodded. "Yes. I can put one up, but I will not be able to keep it up for very long."

"No problem. Go for it."

Saimos obeyed and leapt up to the top of a pile of rubble. The wall, or at least what had once been a wall, now lay mostly in shambles with several gaping holes through which soldiers were pouring. Taking a moment to survey, Saimos finally concentrated and extended his hand. Just then, an idea occurred to Saimos and he decided to put it into practice. After a moment of concentrating, a blue energy field appeared in between the settlement and approaching Sith. For a moment, almost everyone paused in confusion. The Sith's blaster bolts were had now halted as they bounced off the energy field. Seeing this, every militiaman on the street took the opportunity to shoot at the Sith without fear of being harmed. Not understanding what was happening some of the Sith fell back and were retreating.

"Everyone, fire!" Revan shouted. The soldiers did so, and their shots went through the energy field at the Sith while the enemy's blaster bolts were stopped. This time however, instead of the bolts just bouncing off, the bolts gathered in the center of the field.

"How are you holding up, Saimos?" Revan shouted after a while.

"I'm fine, but I do not have much longer!"

"Alright, just let me know when you need to drop it!

After a few more moments, Saimos sensed that he was nearing his limit. "Revan, I have to drop it!"

"Alright! Everyone, get under cover, get back!" he shouted as he let the soldiers know that the field was going down. A moment later, Saimos's blue energy field dissipated. As if did so however, all the blaster energy that was being held in the center of the field was released in a gigantic ball and was hurled at the mass of Sith. It struck the ground and erupted in a great explosion that took out many soldiers with it.

"Wow," Revan gaped. "Didn't know you could do that."

"Neither did I," Saimos said, equally shocked. "I did not know if it would work or not."

"Revan!" Quaid's voice shouted through the communicator. "We might need help. Jolee's been hit."

Revan cursed. "I'm going to have to go back."

"I'll stay here," Saimos told him. "You help the others."

* * *

Back at the other side, Yuthura dragged Jolee behind a wall and surveyed him to see how badly he was hurt. The elderly Jedi had sustained a blaster bolt to his side. 

"Sithspit. Are you okay?" she asked him.

"For a guy who's just been shot, yeah, I think I'm alright," he said.

Despite the situation, Yuthura chuckled as she pulled out a medpac. "You're one tough old man, anyone ever tell you that?" she said as she treated his wound.

"I still got it," Jolee said with a painful grin. "I'm just not…as young as I once was."

"Jolee!" Quaid shouted as he rushed over. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Jolee said. "Nothing a little band-aid won't fix."

Quaid smirked but quickly turned his attention to the battle. "Yuthura, take care of him."

"Right."

Quaid rejoined the fight, but found the militia suddenly running away and ducking for cover. Quaid saw what it was as a large armored Sith vehicle erupted onto the streets. On top of it a large turret fired at the people in the streets. The soldiers fired at it, but the bolts did little to damage its armored surface.

Quaid cursed and leapt behind a building as he dodged its oncoming fire. The vehicle drove deeper into the city, taking out soldiers in its wake.

"HK!" Quaid shouted. "Take that thing out!" The droid was already on it. The crimson robot drew what looked like a thermal detonator from its compartment and loaded it into his large rifle.

"Condescending Command: Burn in a fiery death, meatbags!" The droid launched the detonator, and the projectile streaked forward and hit against the side of the vehicle, detonating in a devastating explosion that caused the entire vehicle to burst into flames.

"Way to go, HK!" Quaid shouted. He ran over to Visas and the others. "You okay?" he asked them.

"Yes," Visas answered.

"These guys are like cockroaches! You kill one, and five more pop up!" Mission shouted.

"Quaid!" Revan shouted as he re-appeared. "Where's Jolee? Is he okay?"

"He's fine. Yuthura's taking care of him."

"Guys," Atton shouted. "The Sith seem to be thinning out."

"You mean they're retreating?" Mission asked hopefully.

"I don't know, but they seem to have stopped coming," he replied.

Revan looked around curiously. Surely enough, the Sith did seem to have halted their advance for now. Slowly the noise of battle died down. Just then, Quaid saw Visas tense up noticeably. He quickly rushed over to see what was the matter.

"Visas, are you okay?" he asked.

"He's here," Visas said plainly with a hint of fear in her voice. Surely enough, Quaid sensed an awesome, yet dark presence in the force. Revan sensed it too, and knew it could only mean one thing.

Darth Nihilus had arrived.

"He's coming," Visas said again. "He knows I'm here."

Everyone paused and everything seemed to stop as they felt the evil presence draw closer and closer. Revan felt him, and was amazed. He was indeed as powerful as Visas said he was. Along with this, Revan could sense a deep evil as well as an insatiable hunger.

They waited for what seemed like an eternity. Suddenly they saw two militiamen fall over dead for no apparent reason.

"What the-" Revan began. His sentence was cut short however as he saw a figure emerge from the smoke. There stood Darth Nihilus, new Lord of the Sith.

The Dark Lord had said nothing nor had his weapons drawn, but everyone had their lightsabers drawn and ready to fight. Mission and Atton had their blasters pointed at him.

The Khoonda soldiers raised their weapons and fired at Nihilus. In a flash, the Dark Lord ignited his lightsaber and swung it in an arc that deflected the oncoming shots back at the soldiers, felling them both. More soldiers raised their rifles, but with a wave of his hand, Nihilus pulled the weapons out of their hands with the force and followed it up with a wave of lightning that downed them. HK-47 instinctively fired his rifle at the Dark Lord, but Nihilus deflected that as well, and sent a wave of sparks both him and T3. In a flash, HK-47 and T3 fell over, disabled. The scene fell still again for the moment. The sounds of battle still raged however on the other side of the settlement. Revan couldn't shake the feeling that the Sith were now winning.

"Nihilus," Revan growled. The Sith lord stared back at Revan through his skull-like mask.

"_Darth Revan,"_ he droned. _"Finally we meet. It is a good thing I did not destroy this settlement immediately, or else I would not have drawn you out."_

'So that's why he didn't send more forces here,' Revan thought as he came to the realization. Around them, the battle picked up again as more Sith started streaming into the settlement to clash with the militia once more.

"_I see you're here as well,"_ Nihilus said again. At first Revan thought he referred to Visas, but as he looked behind him he saw Saimos standing there, glaring at the Sith Lord. _"But don't worry. You'll be mine soon enough."_

"Never," Saimos hissed.

"_You have no choice here,"_ Nihilus growled. He turned to the rest. _"And now, you will all pay for all the misery you have caused me. Especially you." _This time, Revan knew he was referring to Visas.

"_You betrayed me, Visas,"_ he continued. _"And for that, you must be punished." _

Quaid stepped up to Visas's side. "You'll have to get through me first."

Revan stepped forward as well. "And me."

Nihilus merely stared back at them with unseen eyes. _"As you wish." _Suddenly, everyone there, even Saimos, fell to their knees. Revan gripped his head as a current of extreme pain rushed though his body. In addition to that, he started to feel dizzy and light-headed, as if Nihilus was draining his energy.

Tears of pain and sadness ran down Visas's cheeks. "Please," she begged. "Don't harm them them. Kill me, if you must. I'm the one who betrayed you. But don't hurt them…"

Nihilus didn't answer. He instead approached Visas and knelt down to grab her throat. After wrapping his hand around her neck, he pulled up harshly and drew her to his masked face.

"_Don't worry, Visas,"_ Nihilus growled as his grip on her throat tightened, cutting off her air. _"Their deaths won't be painful…at least, not as painful as yours."_

Quaid somehow was able to regain enough of his stamina to get up off his feet and lunge at the Dark Lord. Nihilus however, merely raised his hand and sent Quaid flying hard against the wall. Quaid collapsed against the ground and his lightsaber rolled out of his hands.

"Quaid!" Visas choked.

The momentary distraction was enough for Saimos to fight through Nihilus's grip. The creature leapt up and closed in on, who dropped Visas and raised his lightsaber to block Saimos's strike. Saimos leapt back and sent a bolt of lightning at Nihilus, but even his usually-lethal energy was parried and absorbed by the Dark Lord. It almost seemed as if he merely fed off Saimos's lightning! Deciding maybe lightning was not the way to go, Saimos closed in again and went back to his lightsabers. The two dueled for a moment before Nihilus sent Saimos flying against the wall. Nihilus extended his hand, and a bright orange beam surrounded by sparks of lightning erupted from it and struck the downed creature. Momentarily dazed, Saimos winced as he felt energy being rapidly drained from his body. In that moment, he knew Nihilus was feeding off him. He concentrated with all his might as struggled to resist Nihilus's pull.

"_Why did you escape?"_ Nihilus asked him. _"You only delayed the inevitable."_

Revan finally had enough. Nihilus's grip on him had lessened, allowing him to regain his head. He gripped his two lightsabers and rushed the Dark Lord. Nihilus was forced to let his hold on Saimos go and divert his attention to Revan. The former Dark Lord brought his lightsabers down on Nihilus, who blocked both of them. With lightning reflexes, Revan brought back one of them and quickly thrust it into Nihilus's gut.

He heard the Dark Lord grunt in pain, but he did not fall. Momentarily dumbfounded, Revan was caught off guard as Nihilus sent him flying back with a force-push. The Dark Lord shrugged it off as if it was merely a scratch.

'Maybe Visas was right about the whole 'one whom no being can kill' thing,' Revan thought. But he would not let Nihilus gain a foothold on him. He had a strong feeling Nihilus would not be able to drain his energy as long as Revan kept him from being able to concentrate.

Revan brought his legs down and rolled to prevent himself from landing on his back. Not giving Nihilus a second, Revan sent a wave of lightning in his direction. Nihilus blocked it with his red lightsaber, but this gave Revan time to close in on him. The Jedi leapt at Nihilus and started striking furiously at him with his lightsabers. Nihilus however parried, and in a second the two became locked in combat. Both of them fought with lightning reflexes and for a moment became almost a blur of white and black.

Atton, Mission, Yuthura, and Jolee were finally recovering from their daze.

"Quick, we gotta help Revan!" Mission shouted.

"Sure, no problem," Atton said half-sarcastically. The four of them charged, but Nihilus had already sensed them coming. The Sith Lord blocked another one of Revan's blows and sent him flying back again. He quickly turned to the others charging at him and flicked his wrist. The four of them instantly became trapped in a stasis field and froze in place.

Revan however was not to be beaten, and leapt back at Nihilus full-force once again. He couldn't allow Nihilus a second of breathing room. Not as long as he was alive. Nihilus meanwhile grew frustrated that they had lasted this long. He had underestimated Revan. But that was no matter. He knew he would win.

Still weak, Visas crawled over to Quaid's side. The Exile still lay there limp, but she knew he was still alive. She reached out and picked him up in he arms and saw that he was bleeding from the back of his head. His eyes were half-closed and glazed over, and his face was a blank expression.

"Quaid, are you okay? Can you hear me?" she asked worriedly. He didn't answer. Visas brought him close to her face and pressed her head close to his. She reached around with her hand and placed it over the wound on his head. Concentrating, she felt the force flow from her gloved hands and wash over him. Slowly the wound closed up and stopped bleeding. A few seconds later, Quaid stirred and his eyelids snapped open.

"Quaid…" Visas whispered, relieved that he was okay.

"That hurt," he said frankly.

Visas managed a slight grin even with all that was happening. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," he said. Without saying a word, he pulled Visas into a tight hug and planted a quick kiss on her lips. "Thanks," he said while smiling. Visas took his hand and helped him up. The two looked over at the ensuing duel. Revan and Nihilus were locked in a fierce duel, but at the moment they seemed to be evenly matched. They weren't sure if Revan was actually holding his own or if Nihilus was merely toying with him.

Having recovered from having his energy drained, the weakened Saimos approached Quaid and Visas.

"Are you alright?" he asked them. Both nodded weakly. "Visas, he's too powerful," Saimos explained. "Remember our plan: you need to find some way to interrupt his connection to the force."

"I will try," Visas said. "But I'll need help."

"We'll need to distract him," Quaid said. "At least long enough for Visas to break through."

"I'm up to it if you are," Saimos said. The Exile nodded back.

"Visas, we're going in."

"Be careful," she shouted as they left. With that, she concentrated and went to work.

Nihilus looked over to see Saimos and Quaid charging at him. With Revan dueling him, he didn't have enough time to send out another force-wave at them. Instead, he ignited his second lightsaber and brought it up to fight them off. What started out as one-on-one soon became three-on-one, but Nihilus still managed to hold his own. Growing frustrated however, he force-leapt into the air away from the three of them. He landed a good distance away on his feet, still in his combat stance. Right after he landed however, he felt something inside his head. A presence was trying to intrude on his mind. It was Visas! He looked and saw her standing away from the battle, looking as though she was concentrating on something. Growing more furious, Nihilus now decided to end this once and for all. He didn't have time to think though as Revan, Quaid, and Saimos descended on him like a pack of wolves.

This only prompted Nihilus to fight back with even more fury. Before anyone knew what happened, a wave of some strange purplish energy erupted out of Nihilus and struck the three of them. The force of it sent all three of them back and they landed hard on the ground. All three of them felt like they were on fire, or something close to the feeling. It was the same feeling of pain they felt the first time, only worse. Not only that, but whatever Nihilus had done had left all of them dazed and barely aware of what was happening.

With them out of the way, Nihilus set his sights on Visas. Upon seeing her fallen comrades, she had broken her concentration. She had no time to speak however, as Nihilus constricted her neck with a strong force-choke. Visas instinctively raised her hands to her throat, but it did no good. She felt her airflow be cut off yet again as Nihilus tightened his grip on her. The dark lord approached her until he stood directly over her like a black monument of death.

"_You little fool,"_ Nihilus growled. He raised Visas into the air with the force until she was eye level with him. _"You thought you could defeat me? Nothing can defeat me. And now…you will die. But first..."_ he pointed his lightsaber at Quaid's prostrate form. _"You will watch him die." _

In that moment, Visas felt that same terrible feeling of hopelessness, the same she felt when Katarr had been destroyed. Around her she could see the Sith continuing to pour in like an endless river. The Khoonda militia were now all-but spent, and it wouldn't be long before the Sith overran the settlement completely.

Visas felt a combination of anger, despair, and regret boil within her all at once. She could not let them lose now. Not when they had gotten so close! Her mind raced and almost without thinking, she reached for her lightsaber. With reflexes faster than even Nihilus, she ignited her golden blade and thrust it into Nihilus's chest. Caught off guard, Nihilus let out another groan of pain and doubled over. Visas attempted to capitalize on this, and she struck again. This time Nihilus was ready, and blocked her. Soon, Visas and Nihilus became locked in a duel that was old as the Sith itself: that between apprentice and Master.

Visas knew that Nihilus could not drain her life-force as he could the others. But that didn't mean he couldn't kill her. He would just have a harder time doing so. Visas fought with all her strength, but Nihilus had her out-matched. Seeing an opening, Nihilus thrust his lightsaber at her and pierced her side. Visas let out a cry of pain and fell to her knees. Now helpless, she could do little as Nihilus sent a wave of force-lightning at her. Visas cried out as the unbearable pain coursed through her body. Nihilus paused, but only for a moment as he sent another current through her body. Visas suddenly felt like every nerve in her body was on fire. She could only lay there and wreath as Nihilus mercilessly tortured her.

Even though he was still dazed, Quaid could hear Visas's screams of agony and almost broke out in tears at the thought of not being able to help her. Saimos too had to fight off the feeling of despair as he realized how perilously close to failure they were. If they failed, then he would be doomed to be a weapon for the Sith, and then the unbearable thought dawned on him that he would be responsible for the death of the entire Jedi order. And Revan…had now almost gone to the brink of insanity. The fact that they were so close to failure, and that Bastila was so close, ripped him apart. If he failed here, he would fail the Jedi. He would fail the Republic. And he would fail Bastila. With all the will power he could muster, Revan called on the force and struggled to fight through the pain that coursed through his body.

Just as Visas thought she couldn't take any more pain, she heard a sudden noise rip through the atmosphere. Visas's gaze shifted upward and she could feel a new presence on the scene – a benevolent presence. Revan glanced upward and he saw a welcome sight that made his heart leap – hundreds of Republic dropships were now descending from the atmosphere. Help had come!

Visas could feel the anger now radiating off of Nihilus. The Sith Lord meanwhile turned and looked down at her hatefully.

"_You fool. You think this means you have won? They're only more souls for me to consume! It's a pity you had to betray me, otherwise you might have shared in my victory."_

Visas gritted her teeth and summoned up enough breath to utter one sentence:

"Go to hell."

Nihilus's paused for a moment, then sent another wave of lightning over the helpless former-apprentice. Finally summoning up enough of his strength, Quaid leapt off the ground and charged at Nihilus. The Dark Lord however saw him coming and merely sent him flying back with another bolt of lightning. Quaid landed on his back once again, in even more pain than before. Revan in turn got up but Nihilus merely did the same before he could even approach.

Nihilus was not finished, though. This time, he went for his technique that he had already used on Saimos: life-drain. A bright orange beam surrounded by lighting darted forth and struck Revan. Revan cried out as he felt both pain and his energy being drained. He tried to resist, but after everything he was finding it incredibly difficult.

Nihilus paused and drew in a breath. His shift in focus however was enough to allow Visas to regain her mind. With nothing else left to do, she tried to concentrate once more on the bond between her and Nihilus.

"_You fool,"_ Nihilus droned. _"You had your chance. You may have been the Dark Lord once, but your time is over. Do you hear me? It is over!" _He struck at Revan again. _"This is my hour!"_ he hissed. He sent another beam at the fallen Jedi and former Sith Lord.

Revan could feel his consciousness beginning to fade. He felt both his mind and energy being drained away. A single tear rolled down his masked face as all hope seemed to vanish.

'I'm sorry, Bastila. I tried,' he thought as he felt his life force slipping away.

* * *

Back in the Khoonda hospital, the doctors watched in desperation as Bastila's life signs faded. The Jedi was now dying, and it would only be a matter of time before the Sith overran the hospital as well. They could only sit there and stare as Bastila's heartbeat slowed down. The Jedi opened her eyes and uttered one last word. 

"Revan…" she whispered, and her heartbeat slowed down to a halt.

* * *

Visas concentrated as hard as she could. Nihilus was distracted by his torturing of Revan, but she knew she didn't have long before he would notice. Struggling, she searched as she felt herself enter into Nihilus's mind. She searched and concentrated. She looked into him, searching for his connection to the force. 

And found it.

Suddenly Nihilus stopped as he felt Visas intruding into his mind again. He snapped around to deal with her, but it was too late. The Dark Lord suddenly felt his world stop as Visas severed his connection to the force. Suddenly it felt like every one of his senses shut off, and he felt all his strength leave him.

With Nihilus no longer torturing him, Revan's sight slowly faded back as his energy slowly returned. He opened his eyes to see Nihilius on his knees, clutching his head and yelling in agony as if he was in pain.

"Revan, I've done it! Strike now!" Visas cried weakly.

Calling upon the force and summoning the last of his energy, Revan rose to his feet, ignited his lightsaber, and charged Nihilus. In a single motion, Revan raised his lightsaber and thrust it straight into the heart of the Dark Lord. Nihilus let out an inhuman cry that made Revan cover his ears. Suddenly, a dazzling display of red energy erupted out of his body as all the souls he had consumed were released at once. The Dark Lord continued to scream as all his power fled from him. With one final blast of red light, the last of Nihilus's energy was freed, and the Sith Lord collapsed over, lifeless.

Suddenly, Revan, Quaid, Saimos, and Visas felt their pain leave their bodies. Revan felt new life come into him as Nihilus's hold on him was finally broken. With him dead, Nihilus's stasis field over the others finally dissipated. Mission, Atton, Yuthura, and Jolee all snapped out of their trance and looked around in utter confusion. All their jaws dropped at once when they saw Nihilus lying dead on the ground.

"Wha-what'd we miss?" Mission asked dumbfounded.

Revan managed a slight chuckle as he rose to his feet. He helped Visas up, who promptly ran over to Quaid's side.

"Are you okay?" she asked anxiously. The exile weakly nodded as he was held for the second time that battle in Visas's arms.

"Is he…?" Quaid started as he saw Nihilus.

"Yes," Visas said and pulled the Exile into a tight embrace. She buried her head in his shoulder and felt fresh tears fall down her face. "I love you, Quaid. I love you so much…"

"I love you too," he said back quietly, and met her lips in another kiss. After a few seconds Visas pulled back and looked over at Nihilus's crumpled form. Silently she got up and approached it. Quaid was confused for a moment, but realized what she was doing when he saw her kneel down and pull up Nihilus's mask. From where he was he couldn't see, but after a moment Visas pulled the mask back down and came back to him.

"What did you see?" Quaid asked her.

"I saw a man. Nothing more," she answered.

By this time, the Republic forces had arrived and were pouring into the city. With their Lord no longer alive, the Sith could do nothing to stop them. Up in the skies over Dantooine, the Republic and Sith fleets battled, but for the Sith it was a doomed battle as they were both outnumbered and without a leader. Admiral Onasi watched in satisfaction as the Sith fleet was slowly eradicated.

Revan walked over to Saimos who had also recovered from the battle. The two of them looked at each other for a moment before finally shaking hands warmly.

"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Saimos said.

Revan actually laughed at the creature's jest and found himself smiling back. "Well, maybe just a little," he replied.

Revan was caught off guard for a moment as Mission tackled him and caught him in a bone-breaking embrace.

"We won Revan! We won!" she cried happily.

Revan smiled and hugged her back. Mission broke the embrace and to Saimos's shock, went over and hugged him tightly. All of Revan's crew smiled as hugs and congratulations were passed amongst them.

But the celebration was short-lived however as Revan remembered his one last task.

"Saimos…" he called over to him.

The creature instantly knew what he meant, and nodded. "Alright."

"We have to go," Revan told the others. Everyone knew what he meant, and his crew followed closely.

Revan knew the way to the hospital, and ran straight for it with no regard to anything happening around him as he ran.

"Just remember," Saimos reminded him as he ran, "you'll have to destroy my body once it's done."

"Alright. We're going to miss you, Saimos. Thanks for everything. We'll never forget you."

Saimos nodded, and smiled faintly. "And I'll never forget you all. Thank you."

* * *

At last, the crew arrived at the hospital. Revan didn't stop, and burst through the doors, still running. Spotting a medic, Revan ran up to him and stopped him. 

"Where's Bastila?" he asked quickly.

The medic paused and stuttered. "Revan, I-I'm sorry. She's-"

Revan tore off his mask and grabbed the medic by his uniform. "NO! Nobody's dead here until I say so! _Do you understand_? Now where is she?!"

The frightened medic quickly answered. "She's in the west wing – room 105!"

Revan released the medic and ran off in the direction of Bastila's room. It seemed like forever to him until they finally reached the room in which she was being held. Revan's eyes scanned the room and fell upon Bastila's pale form. He rushed to her side and saw that she was limp and wasn't breathing, but Revan wasn't about to give up. He could feel some traces of her remaining through their bond.

"Saimos, give her the juice," he said. The creature didn't reply. He rushed over to Bastila's side. Maybe it was his lack of protest, or the way he did it wordlessly, but Revan couldn't fight off the feeling of guilt and hurt that overcame him as he watched Saimos go to his doom.

Saimos lowered his hands and pressed them over Bastila's heart. After a second of silence, the room was lit up as sparks of white lightning erupted from where Saimos's hands connected with Bastila's body. Revan watched as Bastila's body twitched and vibrated from the shock. Then, in the midst of it all, her eyes snapped open and her chest started rising and falling. Her heart rate monitor to the side started beeping again rapidly. At last, the energy dissipated, and Saimos collapsed to the ground, lifeless. The once bright-blue crystals that adorned his body were now a lifeless gray.

Bastila looked up and the first thing she saw was Revan standing over her with an expression of pure amazement on his face. Without saying a word she leaned up and pulled Revan down into a suffocating embrace, and Revan hugged her back just as fiercely and gently rocked her back and forth. For a while, neither of them said a word as they held each other, tears of joy streaming down both their faces. After a long time, they finally broke apart and looked at each other. All her color had been restored, and her beautiful eyes had returned to their deep ocean blue color. Revan raised a hand and tenderly ran it along her cheek.

"Hey princess," he whispered. She smiled at him and pulled him into a loving kiss. They broke apart once again, and Revan smiled at her through his tears.

"I thought I'd lost you," he said. She smiled back at him and buried her head in his shoulder.

"I love you, Revan," she said simply. Finally her eyes caught sight of the creature, and she pulled back.

"Revan, is that the…?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered her. Bastila nodded and silently stared in awe at the (mostly) dead creature on the floor. Slowly she shifted her view from the creature to look around the rest of the room. Her spirit lifted even more when she saw several familiar faces staring back at her. Mission, Atton, Jolee, Yuthura, and Quaid were all there, smiling back at her. And she saw something else that made her heart leap.

"Visas? Is it really you?" she asked shocked.

Visas nodded and smiled back at her. "Hello, Bastila."

Bastila couldn't stop her jaw from dropping as she looked at her childhood friend for the first time in many, many years. This was all almost too much for her to take in at once, and she blurted out a question almost without thinking.

"What happened?" she asked.

Revan smirked and scratched the back of his head. "Long story."

Bastila looked once again at the creature on the floor. "He's dead?"

Revan nodded. "Well, mostly. We're going to have to destroy his body." He lowered his head. "There was no other way…it was the only way to bring you back," he explained.

Bastila nodded sadly.

"It's too bad," Mission said quietly. "He really was a good guy."

* * *

Whew! That chap long enough for you? Once again, sorry it took so long to update. Life's been busy. Just to remind you, this is NOT the end, there's one chapter left after this. There's still stuff to wrap up, especially between Revan and Bastila, if you know what I mean. (wink) It should be up fairly soon, hopefully within a couple days. But I hope you guys enjoyed this chaotic and very loooong chapter. I especially hope the ending duel was worth it, seeing as it took me a while to write. I wanted to make sure Nihilus wasn't a walk in the park to beat, like in the game. grumbles (Talk about a waste of a good character) In the meantime, drop in a review and let me know what you thought! 

Just for clarification, while I'm sure some of you would have liked it be Quaid or Visas who finished Vrook off, I had Saimos do it for a reason. He was already going to die, and it would have caused problems if either Quaid or Visas had the blood of a Jedi Master on their hands, _especially_ if they wanted to get back into the order. So I had Saimos take the fall for them, so to speak. And just so you know, HK and T3 are NOT dead, just disabled. They're just too loveable to kill off, you know. :)


	30. Epilogue

Well, here it is - the final chapter to this story! Did I update fast enough? This is also pretty short. Maybe I should have just posted this and the previous chapter at the same time...nah. This actually comes as both a relief and regret. While I enjoyed writing this story, this has also taken longer to write than I wanted, so it's going to feel good to finally have this finished. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed this story; personal thanks will come after the chapter. In the meantime, enjoy!

No One Special: Thanks! Thanks also for the correction. It gets hard to catch all the grammar mistakes, sometimes, especially in chapters that long. As for a sequel, while I've considered it before, the chances of there being one are fairly small. Sorry! But I think the story stands nicely by itself. Don't think this means there won't be one, though. I'm just saying don't get your hopes up. (Please don't kill me, l0ngshOtor!) If I do make one though, it definitely won't be as long. Thanks anyway!

BTW l0ngshOtor, to be honest I was debating whether or not to have Revan or Quaid finish Nihilus off. I'm not sure why I had it be Revan. For some reason, I wanted Revan to be the one to finish him off. All things considered though I don't think it makes much difference. Maybe I should have had Quaid be the one to kill Nihilus. Oh well. XP

As for other KOTOR fics, I'm not sure. In the meantime I have another story I'm working on, but it's not KOTOR-based. I'm going to take a little break from writing though before I post it. Hope you like this final chapter!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

**Epilogue**

The wedding took a long time to plan, longer than Revan had wanted. Surprisingly, one of the most difficult things to decide was where to have it! He and Bastila had considered Coruscant, but eventually decided against it. Manaan, where they had shared their first kiss, was a big choice, as well as Talravin (Bastila's home world). In the end though, they finally decided on the planet perhaps most important to them both - Dantooine.

The whole event actually drew more attention than they had anticipated. Their close friends at first were the only ones invited. Then, Revan had decided to let some Jedi Masters attend, then some Republic officers. Then, word slipped out somehow that the two famous Jedi Knights were getting married, and before they knew it, it seemed like half the Republic knew about it. Thankfully though, they had managed to keep the crowd of attendees relatively small.

It took place outside, as Revan and Bastila had always planned, on a place overlooking one of Dantooine's beautiful lakes. Bastila had always loved the water, and Revan wasn't about to disappoint her.

Inside her tent, Bastila was busy preparing for the occasion, and was more nervous than she had been in her life! She sat in front of a mirror and was applying her makeup, with the help of Mission, Yuthura, and Visas.

"It's going to mess up," Bastila said nervously. "What if he doesn't like it?"

"Oh for crying out loud Bast, just relax!" Mission said. "Your hair's fine and it's _not_ going to mess up. So just chill, okay?"

"Mmm…this makeup won't fade, will it? What if there's too much? You think he'll like this dress?"

"Bastila first of all, Revan is a guy and he probably won't care," Visas told her. "Secondly, we didn't put on too much, so just relax. And third, believe me when I say you look positively breathtaking." Bastila didn't look convinced, but sat back and said no more.

It had been eight months since the battle on Dantooine. Since then, Visas had undergone a dramatic change. Ever since Nihilus's death, it was like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, or like someone had removed a mask she had been forced to wear. She had gone from being the timid, quiet, submissive Sith Assassin to being the vibrant, outspoken girl Bastila had known from her childhood. Even her appearance had changed. Well, at least her clothes. She still wore the robes and veil she had worn during her days as a Sith Assassin, but she had traded the dark scarlet colors for a pure, vivid white.

After a while, it was finally time. Visas went over to Bastila and helped her put on her veil. When everything was done, she and Mission examined her from head to toe.

"Bastila, you're a knockout," Visas said happily. Bastila still didn't look convinced. Her knees felt weak from sheer nervousness.

"I'm so nervous. I don't know…if I can do this," she said.

"Aw, what's the matter, Bast? You're not getting cold feet now, are you?" Mission asked teasingly.

"No! It's just that, well, I've never done this before."

"You'll be fine," Yuthura assured her. "Now come on, let's not keep him waiting."

Outside, Revan was shifting nervously as he stood in place. He wore the dress robes he had gotten for the occasion. His black hair was the same length it was before, but it was at least done in a way that was an actual style rather than its usual chaotic mess.

"Nervous?" Carth asked him from behind. Revan looked over his shoulder.

"No, not at all," Revan replied sarcastically. He turned and took another look at the crowd. All the familiar faces were there. Some of the Jedi council were there, most notably Master Vandar, Master Vash, and Master Atris. Revan had been disheartened to learn of Kavar's death, but he was at least relieved Darth Traya hadn't been able to cause more damage. Ever since she returned, Revan hadn't really trusted her, but could do nothing after he was sent on his mission.

Jolee, and Juhani were there as well, and were watching the whole thing expectantly. Zaalbar was there, too. The wookiee had taken a break from his duty on Kashykk to visit Revan, whom he _still_ had a life debt to. Even Atton (who was now training as a fighter pilot for the Republic) was there, watching from the side. Not too far off were T3 and HK. The bloodthirsty droid was serving as a sort of extra security for the affair. His presence alone was enough to keep things under control for some.

"What are you afraid of? Don't tell me the former Sith Lord can take on an entire Sith army but goes into a breakdown at his own wedding," the Admiral mocked.

"This former Sith Lord is also starting to get annoyed, Carth," Revan growled.

"Woah! Easy, there. Don't worry, I was nervous as hell when I got married, too," Carth assured him. "If it makes you feel any better, she's probably as nervous as you are." He gave another chuckle. Carth had changed as well, to Revan's relief. He had definitely gotten more relaxed these past few months. Now that Telos had a new source of fuel, Carth no longer was constantly worrying about the planet's fate. As of now, things looked good for Telos. The rebuilding looked as though it would be a success, after all. As of right now, all was right with the galaxy. Nobody had to worry about Saimos's secret ever falling into the hands of the Sith ever again. The machine was destroyed, and the creature's body was cremated after his death. The secret would never slip out again. And it was better that way.

"Here she comes," Quaid notified them. Revan took a breath and regained his composure. He straightened out and put on an air of confidence for the audience. At last, Bastila appeared, being lead by Visas and Mission. Revan's jaw practically dropped at the sight of her. To him, she was always beautiful. _But now_…

"Good luck," Quaid whispered from behind.

Bastila could feel her nervousness rising as she approached Revan. In a way, she was glad she had the veil over her face. Visas and Mission accompanied her down the isle, but now was the time for her to go on by herself.

"Go get him," Visas encouraged her. Bastila stepped forward and faced her husband-to-be. The Jedi stared at her with wide eyes that almost made her laugh.

"Bastila, you…you look…you're…" he stammered. "Bastila, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he said with a grin.

Bastila could feel a blush creeping up on her cheeks. "Flatterer," she said. She took a moment to take in Revan and his appearance, feeling her blush grow. "You…you look handsome."

"Thanks," Revan said back. He extended his arm out to her. "Shall we?"

Bastila took it, and the two walked down the isle. Awaiting them at the end was a Selkath dressed in formal attire for the occasion. Once there, the ceremony proceeded smoothly. The rings were given, and vows were exchanged. Finally, it came to the part everyone looked forward to the most.

"_Do you, Bastila Shan, take Revan to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, till death do you part_?" the Selkath asked in its guttural language.

Bastila looked up at her love with a smile. "I do." The Selkath turned to Revan.

"_And do you, Revan, take Bastila Shan to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, till death do you part_?"

"You bet," Revan said confidently.

"_Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride_."

Revan barely gave Bastila time to respond before he raised the veil, took her in his arms and placed a passionate kiss on her lips, which she returned equally. Applause and cheers erupted from the crowd, and the two, now husband and wife, ran down the isle to the celebrating crowd.

All sorts of hugs, handshakes, and 'congratulations' were exchanged as the gathering was broken up and people started heading for the reception.

"Way to go," Quaid said as he congratulated Revan.

"Yeah, it's about time," Revan replied as he held Bastila close to him.

"Congratulations," Visas said as she appeared from the crowd. A brief hug was exchanged between her and Bastila, then Revan.

"You know, you two really do make a great couple," Quaid said brightly.

"Thanks. By the way, what about you two?" Revan asked them. "You two making any plans?"

Visas and Quaid smiled at each other then turned back to Revan and Bastila. "We've been thinking about it," Quaid told them. "We just decided to give it a little more time before we make any lifetime commitments."

"Well, take your time. Just don't take forever," Revan said with a wink as they moved on. The next person they came to was the little Master Vandar.

"Congratulations!" he said warmly. "The order wishes you the best of luck. May you both be happy together."

"Thank you," Revan and Bastila both said.

"It was you. You sent me that lightsaber, didn't you?" Quaid asked him. Vandar gave him a warm grin in response.

"Well, you were an exile by order, but some of us didn't believe you deserved such," he said.

"Well, thanks, Vandar," Quaid said. Not long after the battle of Dantooine, both Quaid and Visas were reinstated as Jedi Knights, much to their delight.

As they made their way to the reception, Revan gave Bastila another kiss on the cheek and led her along.

"Well, we did it," he said.

Bastila smiled warmly. "I hope this lasts forever."

"I think it will," Revan replied. After all the battles, all the uncertainties, and against all odds, they had made it. All was the way it should be. Sure, they would still have battles ahead of them, many ups and many downs, but for now, everything was perfect. And neither of them could have been happier.

* * *

Much later, the after party ended and everyone went their separate ways. Revan and Bastila found themselves headed toward their new home they had bought not too far off from the ever-growing Khoonda settlement. The two were seated in the back of a landspeeder being piloted by the psychotic HK-47 himself, with T3 next to him. 

The droid brought the speeder to a halt in front of a rather quaint-looking house. It wasn't too big, and not too small. It was just right. Perched on the branches of one of the trees in front of their home was a peculiar bird Revan didn't think he had ever seen before. It had bright blue feathers and a strong yet graceful appearance. Upon seeing the two there, it spread its wings and flew off. Revan merely shrugged and thought little of it, though at the time he didn't realize that that bird would be a regular visitor to their home in the years to come.

"Stand guard outside, HK," Revan commanded.

"Statement: I shall guard you and your meatbag mistress with unequaled ferocity, master."

Smiling, Revan picked up and carried Bastila up to the door. After T3 opened it, he carried her over the threshold and inside. He walked through the house and up the steps, while she clung to his neck and pressed her head lovingly against his chest. At last they came to their bedroom, and Revan placed his wife down on the bed. He lay down next to her and the two shared a passionate kiss.

"I love you, Revan. I love you so much," Bastila said in between breaths. Her husband pulled away and looked deep into her eyes.

"I love you too, Bastila. I'll always love you. I don't want to lose you ever again," he whispered back softly. Nope, nothing, not even all the power in the galaxy, could have meant more to him than this woman next to him. Bastila said nothing, but smiled warmly back and kissed him again.

"So, you satisfied with the way things turned out?" Bastila asked as they both sat up.

"I think so," Revan said. "I don't think I could be any more satisfied. And you?"

"Oh, I think I'm satisfied as well," Bastila said back. A mischievous smile crept over her face. "Hopefully, that won't be the only satisfaction either of us recieve tonight."

Before Revan could say anything, she literally tackled him onto the bed, straddled his waist, and stared down at him lustfully. A smile appeared on her husband's face as she started kissing him furiously while running her hands over his body.

Revan never had a better "sleep" in his life!

**The End**

* * *

Well, there it is! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you all enjoyed the story. While I'm glad to get this over with, I am also a little sad to see this finished. Oh well. Thank you to everyone who's been reading this, and many thanks to those who took the time to review. 

Special thanks go out to:

**Tinuviel Undomiel & Nerwen Aldarion** (who've been reviewing since practically the beginning. Thanks a lot for your reviews! You definitely helped keep this story going)

**l0ngshOtor**

**Masta Revan**

**Turd Ferguson**

**Inuyasha Angel** (who stopped reviewing, but reviewed a lot in the beginning)

**VFR6**

**Brazilian Sith Lord**

Hmm, hope I didn't forget anyone. I think that's it. Thanks to all those who reviewed but whose names I didn't mention.

All in all, I'm satisfied with how the story turned out. There are a couple of things I would have changed, though. Length being one. (30 chapters, wow!) Secondly, I probably would have taken out a couple characters, most likely Atton and Jolee. All things considered, they really weren't that necessary to the plot, especially Jolee who just seemed to be along for the ride. Atton was at least important when it came to Nar-Shadaa. Oh well. Maybe someone feels otherwise, but that's just my gut feeling. By the way, in case any of you are confused about the significance of the bird at the end, please refer to **Chapter 26: Countdown**, more specifically, the conversation between Revan and Saimos. (wink) As for the Selkath appearing, well, I just found the idea of Revan and Bastila being married by a fish funny. :P

Well, I've said it every chapter, and I'll say it one last time: please read and review! Any final compliments, criticisms, opinions are appreciated. Adios!


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